Fugitive killer Danelo Cavalcante who escaped prison in Pennsylvania was spotted HOURS ago inside cops’ 10-mile ‘secure’ perimeter – as it’s revealed his victim’s family are barricaded in their home with 24-hour protection

A killer who escaped prison eight days ago is still on the run — after police leading the desperate manhunt said he was spotted in Philadelphia four hours ago.

Danelo Cavalcante, 34, escaped from Chester County maximum security prison in Philadelphia last Thursday morning — sparking an extensive multi-agency search.

On Thursday afternoon, the Brazilian Cavalcante is still a fugitive. The felon climbed over the wall of the training area and made his way over two barbed wire fences.

He was only two weeks into his life sentence when he successfully escaped.

The last possible sighting of Cavalcante occurred just before noon on Thursday near Longwood Gardens, police said at a news conference today.

The family of his murder victim is currently locked up in their homes with 24-hour police protection.

Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens said the escapee is still within the 10-mile police zone, which is “safe.” The police uses sniffer dogs from ‘a number of agencies’.

Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan, the prosecutor who put Cavalcante behind bars earlier this year, said Thursday: “We are all upset. We’re all concerned.’

She revealed that the Cavalcante victim’s family is currently barricaded behind doors in their home and they now have 24-hour police protection.

District Attorney Ryan also confirmed that when he is found and taken back into custody, the killer will not return to the Chester County Jail.

She said he will likely move to a state prison after being charged with escaping from prison.

A reward of up to $20,000 is available to find the killer.

The current search perimeter includes the westernmost portions of Delaware County, bounded by Route 926 to the north, Route 52 to the west and extending across the Brandywine Creek and into Chadds Ford to the east.

Police have released dramatic security camera footage of the inmate climbing horizontally against a wall while his fellow inmates played a basketball game in the yard.

Prison guard Howard Holland admitted that it took more than an hour for police to be alerted to the fugitive, and that the tower guard on duty failed to notice him.

Cavalcante was sentenced to life in prison two weeks ago for the April 2021 murder of his ex-girlfriend Débora Brandao, 34, mother of two. He stabbed her more than thirty times in the upper body and neck, while her children screamed for him to stop.

Since fleeing prison, the convict has been seen six times in the surrounding towns. One man found him stealing fruit from his kitchen before running away.

Holland confirmed that Cavalcante was on the training ground from 8:33 am, and the footage showed him escaping at 8:51 am.

The escape was not noticed until 9:45 am, when officers on his block realized he was not there and at 9:50 am the prison was sealed off.

Prison guards alerted 911 that Cavalcante had escaped at 10:01 a.m. following a prison-wide count and a search for the culprit.

Holland has promised the facility will invest in improved security measures after the two escapes in four months.

He said: ‘We know the seriousness of the situation. We are developing proposals that would completely enclose all outdoor areas.

‘Cavalcante had to contend with barbed wire before climbing the roof, which Bolte didn’t.

“When extra wire was added after Bolte’s escape, it was determined by security advisers that this was sufficient.

“While we believed the security measures we had in place were adequate, they proved otherwise and we will take prompt action to improve our security measures.”

Pennsylvania state police said it was “not shocking” that Cavalcante had slipped through the perimeter after his escape, saying it was a “big dark area.”

“Obviously I wish we could have caught him without him coming through the perimeter, but it’s not shocking either,” Lt. Col. George Bivens said. ‘It’s dark, it’s a big area. No excuses, it’s tough terrain.’

There are fears that such searches could go on for months – and that people could pass within a stone’s throw of him without realizing it, if he kept a low profile.

Bivens said, “I don’t think he has more capabilities than we initially credited him with, I think it’s a really challenging area.

“We’ve had a number of these types of searches in the past… some lasting hours, others days, others months.”

That’s what former FBI agent Scott Duffy said Fox29: “If one is lying low, one can easily pass and be within a few feet of him.”

Since he escaped prison last week, there have been multiple sightings of Cavalcante within the search area in Pocopson Township, but police have been unable to apprehend him.

Cavalcante was last seen by police on Tuesday night in a creek near a property, but fled when police were called.

Pennsylvania State Police described him as “extremely dangerous” and “desperate not to be caught,” while warning residents to remain alert with their doors locked.

Bevins confirmed that the FBI had now joined the manhunt for the convicted killer.

Police believe he was wearing prison-issued pants and prison-issued shorts underneath when he escaped on Aug. 31.

He was spotted by a state agent on Sunday afternoon, who gave chase but eventually lost him.

Cavalcante was also spotted at a home in the community of Pocopson on Friday, “turning on the lights” to the owner before stealing some food items.

Ryan Drummond claims he saw Cavalcante at his house on Friday night, flipping the switch a few times after hearing “rustling” downstairs.

He told ABC6, “What I decided to do was flip the switch three, four or five times, pause for a second, and then he flipped a light switch from downstairs. This was the moment of, ‘Oh my God, this guy is down there.

“I saw him walk out of the kitchen through our living room, open the door and walk out. He was wearing a white shirt and carrying a bag.

“Peaches, apples and green peas were missing. We have a set of small steak knives and he could have taken one of those.’