As he kept two young women locked up as sex slaves in his basement , Ariel Castro was looking for a wife , a new book about the Cleveland kidnapper has revealed . A 39-year-old woman named Lillian Roldan came forward to author John Glatt to say she dated Castro from 2000 to 2003 , a three-year period during which Castro kidnapped and imprisoned Michelle Knight and Amanda Berry in his Ohio home . Roldan describes Castro in Glatt 's book The Lost Girls as nothing short of a gentleman , who was 'completely normal ' in the bedroom , and even romantic . Scroll down for video . Blinded by love : Lillian Roldan ( left ) says she dated Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro ( right ) from 2000 to 2003 . She says she visited his house often and never knew about the young women he was keeping prisoner . However , she says he did keep his basement padlocked , which she found peculiar . When she asked about the need to lock the door , Castro allegedly told Roldan that he kept his money stored down there and 'did n't want his kids to steal it ' . In the book set to be published later this month , Roldan recalls meeting 16-years-older Castro on a blind date set up by friends in May 2000 . He allegedly invited her to watch him play music one night and it was 'love at first sight ' . Under her nose : During the three years she was with Castro , he would kidnap 21-year-old Michelle Knight and 17-year-old Amanda Berry . A few months after breaking up , he kidnapped his third victim Gina DeJuses . Roldan pictured above with another man in a picture posted to Facebook . Seemingly normal : Roldan detailed her 'romantic ' relationship with Castro in the new book The Lost Girls by John Glatt . Roldan visited Castro at his house often , and sometimes ran into his ex-wife Grimilda Figueroa . Castro abused Figuero during their marriage , but he acted so kind around Roldan that she thought the beatings were just a rumor . As for their sex life , Roldan says Castro was 'completely normal ' and 'considerate ' . She says at one point during their relationship , Castro popped the question but Roldan declined since she did n't believe in marriage . After the proposal , Castro remained dedicated to Roldan and even bought her a ruby ring . After buying the flashy piece of jewelry , Castro took Roldan along to one of his music gigs where he had yet another romantic gesture in store . Free women : Amanda Berry ( left ) , Gina DeJesus ( center ) and Michelle Knight ( right ) , were held captive in Castro 's home for years . They found freedom in May 2013 , when Berry 's 6-year-old child helped the trio escape . Stolen youth : Castro kidnapped Michelle Knight ( right ) in 2002 when she was 21 , eight months later he kidnapped then 17-year-old Amanda Berry ( left ) . A year later , he captured 14-year-old Gina DeJesus ( center ) Mid-way through the performance , he took the microphone and told the audience : 'Today , I gave my girlfriend Lillian a ring . ' 'So everyone clapped , ' Lillian recalls . 'And he told the group that he wanted to sing `` La Bamba '' for me . It was so romantic and I was charmed . It was such a special [ night ] and he really did show me love . ' While Castro remained the normal man she called her boyfriend , two years into their relationship he started harboring a secret at home . In August 2002 , Castro kidnapped then 21-year-old Michelle Knight and locked her in his basement . Eight months later , he kidnapped another girl , 17-year-old Amanda Berry . Apparently distracted by the two young women that he was torturing at home , Castro abruptly cut ties with Roldan in October of that year , sending her a letter that said he 'did n't love her enough to stay . ' Prison : Above , Catro 's Cleveland home where he kept the three women locked up for years . Five months after Roldan received the unexpected break-up letter , Castro 's third victim , Gina DeJesus , went missing . She was 14 years old at the time . For the next nine years the women were locked inside Castro 's home and kept secret from the outside world . The three women found freedom in May 2013 , when Berry 's 6-year-old daughter by Castro helped the trio to escape the house and alert police . Castro was arrested and sentenced to life in prison plus $ 1,000 years . About a month after his sentencing , Castro committed suicide in prison .
Lillian Roldan says she dated Ariel Castro from 2000 to 2003 according to a new book about the Cleveland house of horrors by John Glatt . Roldan says she met Castro on a blind date and that during their May 2013 relationship , he was nothing but a gentleman . Two years into their relationship , Castro kidnapped his first two victims , Michelle Knight and Amanda Berry , and locked them in his basement . Roldan says she never knew Castro was hiding the women , but that he did keep a padlock on his basement door . Castro broke up with Roldan with a letter in October 2003 , and a few months later went on to kidnap his third victim Gina DeJesus . The three women were kept captive in the house for another nine years , until they made a dramatic escape in three-year .