On August 31, 34 year old Danelo Cavalcante broke out of a Chester County Prison in Pennsylvania and is still at large. Cavalcante was convicted of first-degree murder on August 16. He brutally stabbed his ex-girlfriend, 33- year-old Deborah Brandão, 38 times in front of her two young children back on April 18, 2021. Brandão’s 7 and 4-year-old children ran to a neighbor asking for help. The 7-year-old told police Cavalcante showed up at their house and “said he was going to do something bad to their lives and pulled two knives out from a black bag that was behind his back.”
Cavalcante is an illegal immigrant from Brazil, where he is also accused of another murder. Border Patrol and the FBI are now assisting US Marshals and local authorities in the search, which was widened Monday after Cavalcante was seen on a surveillance camera at Longwood Gardens, a popular botanical garden approximately 3 miles away from the prison. It is believed he broke into a home to steal a backpack, duffel bag, sweatshirt and food. They are advising all residents to avoid going out if possible and keep all doors locked until Cavalcante is caught. Two school districts in the area have been closed for 2 days now and several roads are either blocked or closed in hopes to find Cavalcante and keep citizens safe. It is believed Cavalcante escaped by climbing onto a roof of a building in an exercise yard and dropping down into a less-secure area of the prison.
This is the second escape from this prison in 3 months. Deb Ryan, Chester County District Attorney, said of the 2 breakouts, “The prison is very aware of whatever vulnerabilities they had, and they have made efforts to correct those vulnerabilities.” Robert Clark, supervisory deputy US Marshal for Pennsylvania’s eastern district said that searchers are locked in a “game of tactical hide and seek.” Clark said, “There are a lot of ravines, a lot of tall fields, a lot of grass, a lot of hiding spaces for a guy that is 5 foot, 120 pounds. He continued to say, “We plan to stress him. We plan to move him. We plan to have him make mistakes - which he has already made now. He appeared on camera two times.” Clark is hoping for a “peaceful surrender” once found.
By-FZ
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