After almost two weeks on the run, Danelo Cavalcante, the notorious escapee from Chester County Prison, has been arrested in Pennsylvania. The announcement came early Wednesday from state police. Residents of South Coventry Township witnessed an intense police operation late Tuesday but the exact location of Cavalcante’s capture remains undisclosed.
WATCH: Danelo Calvacante is photographed with those who captured him. He was then led into an armored vehicle where the Eagles hooded sweatshirt he was wearing was cut off while still handcuffed & put into van for ride to a more secure prison this time. pic.twitter.com/qVIqSl4QlV
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) September 13, 2023
The fugitive’s last known activity involved stealing a .22-caliber rifle, complete with a scope and flashlight, from a local home’s open garage. In a bold move, the homeowner took a shot at Cavalcante with his own pistol, forcing the escapee to flee.
Communities were on high alert during the manhunt. With Cavalcante known to be armed, the state police had issued advisories for residents to stay indoors, ensuring all properties and vehicles were locked. His label? “Extremely dangerous.”
The hunt for Cavalcante saw a collaboration of more than 500 officers from different jurisdictions. The operation, which spanned across challenging wooded areas, led to several schools temporarily shutting their doors and a palpable tension among residents.
Captivating footage was released by officials, showing the 34-year-old’s audacious prison escape. The video captured Cavalcante using an unconventional crab-walking technique to scale the prison’s wall, then bravely confronting layers of razor wire, before making his exit.
His incarceration was due to the heinous crime of fatally attacking his ex-girlfriend 38 times in a tragic event witnessed by her young children. The 2021 incident was not his first. He was also sought after for a 2017 crime in Brazil, where he allegedly took a man’s life over unpaid vehicle repair debts.
