Convicted murderer who escaped Pennsylvania prison might be headed to Mexico, DA says
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By Danny Freeman and Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN
Philadelphia (CNN) — Officials say an inmate convicted of murder who escaped a Pennsylvania prison Thursday might be headed south toward Mexico.
Danelo Cavalcante, 34, broke out of the Chester County Prison, about 30 miles west of Philadelphia, at around 8:50 a.m. Thursday, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office said. The district attorney, Deb Ryan, described Cavalcante as “an extremely dangerous man.”
Cavalcante was last seen at around 9:40 a.m. walking along a nearby road in Pocopson Township wearing a white T-shirt, gray shorts and white sneakers.
Law enforcement believes Cavalcante, a Brazilian national, is headed south, likely to Mexico then back to his home country, Ryan said at a Friday news conference.
Cavalcante was convicted of first-degree murder on August 16 for killing his former girlfriend in 2021. He was sentenced to life without parole last week.
“When he murdered Deborah Brandao in 2021, he headed towards Brazil,” Ryan said at the news conference. “He was captured in Virginia, but the ultimate goal was to go to Mexico and then to Brazil.”
Cavalcante is also wanted in a 2017 homicide case in Brazil, which led to him fleeing the country, said Robert Clark, a supervisory deputy with the US Marshals Service.
“This is a very very dangerous man,” Clark said at the news conference. “I think that’s the reason why you see such dedication here from the state police, the Marshals Service and our state and local partners.”
The US Marshals Service has informed Brazilian authorities of Cavalcante’s escape, Clark said.
On Friday, the district attorney’s office announced it was also increasing the award money for any information leading to Cavalcante’s capture to $10,000, offered by the Chester County Commissioners and the US Marshals Service, according to a Friday update on the manhunt posted to Facebook.
Cavalcante is “really good at hiding from law enforcement, and we believe that he’ll do anything in his power to attempt to evade us now,” Ryan told CNN’s Laura Coates Thursday on “CNN Tonight.”
“There are hundreds of people on the ground and in the air looking for him right now,” Ryan said.
Authorities are investigating whether Cavalcante had inside help to escape, Ryan said.
“Detectives from my office are conducting interviews to find out what happened,” Ryan said.
Ryan urged the public to call 911 immediately if they have any information about Cavalcante.
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CNN’s Michelle Watson contributed to this report.
