In court this afternoon, prosecutors and the defense of Ariel Castro have reached a plea agreement of guilty, altering his initial plea of not guilty. With the new plea, Castro will now not have to go to trial but will receive a sentence of life without parole in prison. The defendant also now is void of a reindictment that could result in capital punishment that would put Castro to death. The charges were amended in court today to bring the charges down to a total of 937 charges. Further, he as agreed to work with the FBI to tell them all of the necessary information required of the case and subsequent evidence.

As of this morning the two sides were reportedly close to reaching an agreement and it has officially been confirmed in court this morning.

In total, Castro was facing 512 counts of kidnapping, 446 counts of rape, seven counts of gross sexual imposition, six counts of felonious assault, three counts of child endangerment and one count of possessing criminal tools.

Initially charged with a 329-count indictment that covered only part of the time frame of the alleged acts of crime spanning from just 2002 to 2007, Castro was back in court earlier this month to face the additional charges to which he similarly plead not guilty.

On May 6, Amanda Berry was able to get the attention of neighbor Charles Ramsey who pried open Castro’s door in order to free her and her child from captivity. Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight had all been pronounced missing since 2003, 2004, and 2002 respectively and it came as a shock to authorities and Ramsey once they were all identified.

At the time of their kidnapping Berry was just 16, DeJesus 14, and Knight 21. All three were subjected to rape and forced abortions at the hands of Castro throughout their time being imprisoned in his home, though he fathered a child with Berry in 2006 which has been confirmed through DNA testing. Like her mother, the child is happy and healthy.

Related: