Pennsylvania law enforcement, in collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service, has initiated a hunt for a highly dangerous inmate who managed to escape from Chester County Prison.
This fugitive, 34-year-old Danelo Cavalcante, had recently been convicted of the 2021 murder of his ex-girlfriend and is now considered an “extremely dangerous” individual.
Compounding the situation, the U.S. Marshals Service has also indicated that Cavalcante is a fugitive “wanted for a homicide in Brazil,” his home country.
Convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante, 34, escaped from a Pennsylvania prison and has been spotted on a residential camera in Pocopson Township, wearing non-prison attire. Authorities are conducting a search in the wooded area near Route 52, urging public vigilance. pic.twitter.com/1lWigcRv53
— Lounge Digest (@loungedigest) September 3, 2023
The whereabouts of this escaped inmate remain shrouded in uncertainty, prompting an urgent call for information leading to his capture.
“Danelo Cavalcante is considered an extremely dangerous man. We are asking for the public’s help in locating him,” said Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan.
“He was last seen walking on Wawaset Road in Pocopson Township around 9:40 a.m. [Thursday] wearing a white t-shirt, gray shorts, and white sneakers,” she added in a statement Thursday. “Law enforcement is doing everything now to locate him. If you see this individual do not approach him. Call 911 immediately.”
Cavalcante, a recently convicted murderer, has managed to escape from Chester County Prison, prompting a widespread manhunt involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
The escapee is described as approximately 5 feet tall and weighing around 120 pounds. He has brown eyes and sports long, black curly hair.
Additionally, Cavalcante is known to be fluent in both Portuguese and Spanish, with some proficiency in English.
In their efforts to locate him, search teams have deployed a range of resources, including K-9 units, drones, and helicopters.
The circumstances surrounding Cavalcante’s escape remain unclear, as Chester County Prison Warden Howard Holland declined to provide details. However, he did mention that as soon as prison officials discovered the escape, they swiftly initiated a search of the vicinity, activated audible alarms, and implemented a prison lockdown.
Cavalcante’s conviction relates to the first-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend, Debora Brandao, which occurred in Schuylkill Township, Pennsylvania, on April 18, 2021. Tragically, Brandao’s 7-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son were present during the murder.
Following the heinous crime, Cavalcante fled to Virginia but was later captured by Virginia State Police.
Just last week, he was sentenced to life in prison for his crimes.
Authorities have also linked him to a 2017 murder case in Brazil, adding urgency to the manhunt to bring him to justice.
“We’re doing everything in our power to ensure we bring this individual to justice,” said Pennsylvania State Police Captain Robert Bailey.
