Convicted killer Danelo Cavalcante has escaped from Chester County Prison and has been on the run for over a week. Recent surveillance footage shows him clean-shaven and driving a stolen van near Phoenixville, which is more than 20 miles away from the initial search area set up by officials. The footage reveals Cavalcante wearing a yellow or green hooded sweatshirt, a black baseball cap, green prison pants, and white shoes. The stolen van, a white Ford Transit with Pennsylvania plates, has a refrigeration unit on its roof and was reported stolen by Baily’s Dairy.
On Friday, Cavalcante was spotted just north of Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, captured on a trail camera. Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police believes that Cavalcante is becoming increasingly desperate as the manhunt continues. Bivens emphasizes that Cavalcante is a dangerous individual, having previously murdered two people – one in Brazil and one in a brutal manner in the United States. As a result, the family of one of Cavalcante’s victims is under 24/7 protection.
Cavalcante is originally from Brazil, where he is also wanted for homicide, and is allegedly in the United States illegally. His conviction for murdering his ex-girlfriend in 2021 resulted in a life sentence. The escape, which occurred on August 31, involved Cavalcante crab-walking a wall in the exercise yard, navigating razor wire, running across a roof, scaling another fence, and maneuvering through more razor wire. It has been confirmed that the prison guard assigned to the watchtower during Cavalcante’s escape has been fired.
Phoenixville, where Cavalcante was last seen, is located approximately 13 miles northeast of the Chester County Prison. The manhunt for Cavalcante continues, with Pennsylvania authorities releasing surveillance footage of his prison escape during a press conference.