Danelo Cavalcante, the escaped Pennsylvania prisoner is in custody and is alive.
The reported capture came just one day after reports surfaced about Calvacante on the loose armed with a stolen rifle. Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens announced the concerning update on the story in a press conference less than 24 hours before the capture.
Calvacante escaped from Chester County Prison in West Chester, PA on August 31. The entire population of Chester County and the greater Philadelphia area has followed the story of Calvacante with intense scrutiny over the past two weeks.
The maneuvers of the escaped prisoner include a remarkable and unlikely escape from prison, which spurred some questions about the legitimacy of Chester County Prison’s security system. He also reportedly stole a van in Phoenixville on Sunday, September 10.
Video footage of the escape from Chester County Prison surfaced. It showed Calvacante climbing maneuvering in an unexpected way between two walls, which helped him into a more escapable area.
He has been spotted on camera multiple times on the loose in Chester County. The local and state police have consistently issued warnings that have included the latest updates on Calvacante’s expected whereabouts, safety procedures to follow (such as securing homes and vehicles), and instructions to call a tip line with any information relevant to the search.
More details about the case haven’t been released yet. However, the Pennsylvania State Police will hold a press conference at Po-Mar-Lin Fire Company, which is located at 36 Firehouse Drive in Kennett Square, PA.
The situation pushed some members of the population in Chester County, PA to a level of panic and fear over the past two weeks. However, they should be able to rest easy for the time being knowing that the police have finally accomplished the goal of their extended search.
The Search For The Escaped Pennsylvania Prisoner: Photos
The search for the Pennsylvania escaped prisoner, Danelo Souza Cavalcante received national attention. He escaped from the Chester County Prison on Thursday, August 31, 2023. This was after he was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the first-degree murder of his former girlfriend. Cavalcante was going to be moved to another state prison but escaped before he was transferred.
Cavalcante is 5 feet tall, 120 pounds, and has brown eyes and long dark curly hair. He was wearing a prison-issued uniform when he escaped: a white T-shirt, white sneakers, and green pants. He was also wearing a backpack.
Officials warned residents that he is extremely dangerous. A reward of $25,000 was also offered for information leading to his arrest.
Danelo Cavalcante, 34 years old, was convicted of killing his former girlfriend in Schuylkill Township in 2021. He stabbed her 38 times while her two young children were present. He is also wanted for a 2017 murder in his native Brazil and allegedly killed his former girlfriend to keep her from telling police about his wanted status in Brazil. He landed in Pennsylvania via Puerto Rico after reportedly obtaining a fake ID.
Officials are using tactics to stress the escaped prisoner with the hope he will surrender and turn himself in.
On Monday, September 4th, Pennsylvania State Police took over the investigation. At that time there were 4 sightings of Cavalcante since he escaped.
As of Tuesday, September 12, the day 13 of the manhunt, Cavalcante has slipped the permitter at Longwood Gardens, stolen a van, moved north, and stolen a rifle.
Even Dog The Bounty Hunter is said to be following the manhunt and was thinking of joining the efforts to locate Cavalcante.
Before that could happen, on the morning of, Wednesday, September 13th, day 14 of the manhunt, Cavalcante was taken into custody by Pennsylvania State Police.
Rachel PItts is a 20+ year radio veteran covers all things Philly for Beasley Media Group Philadelphia as the Digital Program Director. This includes 97.5 The Fanatic, WMMR, WMGK, 92.5 XTU and BEN FM. A graduate from the Universaity of South Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications with a focus in Public Relations. Previously was the Digital Program Director for Beasley Media Group Tampa. Has been the co-host of "Theme Parks & Rec Podcast" and of the Tampa Bay Lightning backed podcast called, "Game Mizconduct".
