Escaped murderer back in court over crimes authorities say he committed while on the run

A convicted murderer who escaped from a southeastern Pennsylvania prison earlier this year and evaded a massive two-week search before being recaptured was indicted Friday on robbery, burglary and other charges in connection with alleged crimes committed while he was on the run used to be.

Danilo Cavalcante, 34, did not say much during the brief hearing where he appeared via video conference. Authorities have said that after escaping from the Chester County Jail on Aug. 31, he stole a van and broke into homes in southeastern Pennsylvania, where a gun and ammunition, clothing, a sleeping bag and other items were stolen.

During the hearing, prosecutors consolidated the new charges with the initial escape charge Cavalcante faced after he was captured. There will be a preliminary hearing where more information on both sets of charges will be discussed, but a date for that hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Cavalcante was charged Monday with crimes including burglary, criminal trespass, theft and possession of a firearm, as well as a number of misdemeanor charges, including theft and receiving stolen property. The county attorney’s office, which is representing him, and prosecutors declined comment after Friday’s hearing.

Cavalcante was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of killing Deborah Brandao in front of her children in 2021. Prosecutors say he wanted to stop her from telling police he was wanted in a 2017 murder in Brazil . He was awaiting transfer to a state prison when he climbed over a wall and then jumped from a roof to escape.

Cavalcante was captured on September 13 after a two-week search that panicked residents and led to school closures at the start of the academic year, as well as warnings to residents to lock their doors and block roads during busy Labor Day -weekend .

Law enforcement’s big breakthrough came when a plane equipped with a thermal imaging camera picked up Cavalcante’s heat signal, allowing teams on the ground to secure the area, surround him and move in with sniffer dogs.