The desperate manhunt to find a murderer who escaped prison has entered its eighth day – and police have increased the reward to $20,000 to find him.
Danelo Cavalcante, 34, escaped from Chester County maximum security prison in Philadelphia last Thursday morning — sparking an extensive multi-agency search for the killer who had been released onto the streets.
On Thursday morning, 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.
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.
The Brazilian felon, 34, fled the Chester County Jail in Pocopson Township, Pennsylvania around 8:30 a.m. last Thursday. He received a life sentence two weeks ago for the April 2021 murder of his ex-girlfriend Débora Brandao, 34, mother of two
The Brazilian felon climbed over the wall of the training ground and made his way over two barbed-wire fences while a basketball game was taking place.
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.
Prison guards alerted 911 that Cavalcante had escaped at 10:01 a.m. after a prison-wide count and a search for the culprit
“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.
As of Thursday, Cavalcante is still on the run, with prison warden Howard Holland admitting it took police more than an hour to be alerted to the fugitive
Pictured is Cavalcante near Longwood Gardens, heading north at 8:21 PM and south at the same location at 9:33 PM
Police on Thursday released this photo of Cavalcante walking down a road in Pocopson Township, about three miles from the prison.
“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.’