The convicted murderer who escaped from a prison in Pennsylvania last Thursday has been recorded by a surveillance camera this Saturday morning just a mile and a half away, according to the Chester County District Attorney's Office (just outside Philadelphia). Danelo Cavalcante, 35, was seen at 12:30 p.m. in Pocopson Township, a suburb near the Chester State Prison, and looked the same he did when he escaped.
Authorities consider him extremely dangerous and are searching for him by hundreds of local, state and federal agents with the help of helicopters, drones and dogs. A $10,000 reward has also been offered for tips leading to his capture.
Cavalcante was convicted Aug. 16 of first-degree murder for stabbing his 33-year-old ex-girlfriend in front of their children; last week he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of bail, according to prosecutors. He is also wanted in Brazil, where he is from, for another murder committed in 2017.
Danelo Cavalcante. Chester County District Attorney's Office/AP
Authorities have not disclosed how he managed to escape Thursday morning while awaiting transfer to another jail, saying the case is still under investigation. Local police received an alert for attempted burglary on Friday around 11:30 p.m., although they have not clarified whether this incident is related to the escaped prisoner.
According to the District Attorney's Office, in the security camera footage Cavalcante is still wearing, as when he escaped, a white T-shirt, and has curly black hair and a well-outlined beard and mustache; Also, carry a backpack. He is described as five feet tall (one and a half meters) and 120 pounds (54 kilograms).
The authorities ask that if someone sees him do not approach him and immediately call the emergency 911 number. Meanwhile, the Prosecutor's Office adds, residents of the area must stay inside homes or businesses; close their vehicles; and check their security cameras and contact the police if they detect anything suspicious. He also asked to monitor the houses of neighbors who are on vacation; and be attentive to cars, bicycles or any means of transport.
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A jury convicted Cavalcante of the 2021 death of Deborah Brandao. Prosecutors accused him of murdering his girlfriend to prevent her from telling police about the charges he faces in Brazil. He was arrested in Virginia as he tried to return home, according to authorities.
Now efforts to catch him are focused on roads, railroad lines and other tracks to get away from the area from which he escaped, located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Philadelphia.
The Chester District Attorney's Office suspects he is attempting to travel south, but has no evidence that he left the area or that he has help from others. Brazil's consulate has been alerted, according to federal marshals service
On July 6, a homicide detainee escaped from a jail in Warren County, also in Pennsylvania, who spent more than a week on the run after climbing using gym equipment, sneaking through a window and descending the wall with a rope made of sheets. He was captured dirty, wet and exhausted after hiding in natural landscapes to evade arrest.
On May 7, two inmates escaped from the Philadelphia Industrial Correction Center by poking a hole in a fence surrounding a recreational area; it took 19 hours to detect his leak; They were captured a week later.