Convicted killer Danelo Cavalcante, who has eluded authorities for nearly two weeks after escaping the Chester County Prison, is now armed with a .22 caliber rifle with a mounted scope and flashlight.Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said Cavalcante stole the rifle from the garage of an occupied home Monday night.“At 10:10 p.m., a call was received from a resident on Coventryville Road, indicating a short, Hispanic male, no shirt and wearing dark pants, had entered his garage while the homeowner was in it, and that he grabbed a .22 rifle that was leaning in a corner of the garage. The homeowner drew a pistol and fired at Cavalcante as he fled with the rifle,” Bivens said at a Tuesday morning news conference. It does not appear Cavalcante was injured.Bivens also said Cavalcante has ditched his prison-issued shoes and stolen a pair of work boots. Teams are tracking him with dogs, helicopters, drones, mounted patrols and other assets. Bivens said nearly 500 officers are “engaged in securing the perimeter.”Below: Watch Tuesday’s full news conference.The search area is about two by three miles of hilly, wooded terrain.When asked whether Cavalcante might be getting any help, Bivens said:“I’m not going to comment on whatever assistance he may or may not have received. What I will tell you is, at this point, I believe he is beyond assistance, and he is in that perimeter. And we will actively hunt until we find him.”Bivens also, once again, urged people living in the area to lock their homes, out-buildings and vehicles.$25,000 RewardAnyone who provides information that leads to the capture of Cavalcante could be eligible for all or part of a $25,000 reward. You can call the tip line at 717-562-2987.Playing the long gameAt a Monday news conference, US Marshal Robert Clark said his agency’s focus has now shifted to the “long game” after Cavalcante broke the law enforcement perimeter over the weekend, and the search for him nears the two-week mark.“Before, it was advantage Cavalcante while he was playing that tactical hide-and-seek in the woods. Now I believe it’s advantage law enforcement because he’s in an urban setting, and that’s what our investigators do best,” Clark said.Cavalcante changed appearanceOver the weekend, Cavalcante changed his appearance, stole a dairy delivery van and tried to contact acquaintances.Cavalcante stole the unlocked van, which had the keys inside, sometime Saturday night about three-quarters of a mile (1.2 kilometers) from the northern perimeter of the search area where hundreds of law enforcement officers had been searching for him, according to Bivens.Bivens vowed to “aggressively continue” the search with the aid of federal, state, county and local resources and expressed confidence that the fugitive would eventually be recaptured.“This is a minor setback,” he said. “We’ll get him, it’s a matter of time.”Below: Escaped killer’s former roommate talks about what he was like.Baily’s Dairy said on its Facebook page that the delivery van was stolen between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday “while we were still here working.”The theft wasn’t noticed for hours, and in the meantime, Cavalcante, 34, traveled more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast to East Pikeland Township and Phoenixville. Shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday, he went to an East Pikeland Township home of a person he had worked with several years ago and asked to meet with him, police said. The homeowner, who was at dinner with his family and didn’t respond, called police after returning home and reviewing his doorbell video. Shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday, police said, Cavalcante went to the Phoenixville area home of another former work associate, who wasn’t home, police said.Doorbell video images showed Cavalcante to be now clean-shaven. The stolen van was found at 10:40 a.m. Sunday in a field behind a barn in East Nantmeal Township, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Phoenixville.Bivens said he believed Cavalcante abandoned the vehicle at least in part because it was low on fuel. Cavalcante recently sentenced to lifeCavalcante escaped from the Chester County Prison while awaiting transfer to state prison on Aug. 31 after being sentenced to life for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend in 2021. Prosecutors say he wanted to stop her from telling police that he was wanted in a killing in his home country of Brazil.Guard firedAuthorities on Friday announced the firing of the prison tower guard on duty when Cavalcante scaled a wall by crab-walking up from the recreation yard, climbed over razor wire, ran across a roof and jumped to the ground. His escape went undetected for more than an hour until guards took a headcount.Cavalcante’s escape and the search have attracted international attention and become big news in Brazil, where prosecutors in Tocantins state say he’s accused of “double qualified homicide” in the 2017 slaying of Válter Júnior Moreira dos Reis in Figueirópolis, which they allege was over a debt the victim owed him in connection with the repair of a vehicle.
Convicted killer Danelo Cavalcante, who has eluded authorities for nearly two weeks after escaping the Chester County Prison, is now armed with a .22 caliber rifle with a mounted scope and flashlight.
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Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said Cavalcante stole the rifle from the garage of an occupied home Monday night.
“At 10:10 p.m., a call was received from a resident on Coventryville Road, indicating a short, Hispanic male, no shirt and wearing dark pants, had entered his garage while the homeowner was in it, and that he grabbed a .22 rifle that was leaning in a corner of the garage. The homeowner drew a pistol and fired at Cavalcante as he fled with the rifle,” Bivens said at a Tuesday morning news conference.
It does not appear Cavalcante was injured.
Bivens also said Cavalcante has ditched his prison-issued shoes and stolen a pair of work boots. Teams are tracking him with dogs, helicopters, drones, mounted patrols and other assets. Bivens said nearly 500 officers are “engaged in securing the perimeter.”
Below: Watch Tuesday’s full news conference.
The search area is about two by three miles of hilly, wooded terrain.
When asked whether Cavalcante might be getting any help, Bivens said:
“I’m not going to comment on whatever assistance he may or may not have received. What I will tell you is, at this point, I believe he is beyond assistance, and he is in that perimeter. And we will actively hunt until we find him.”
Bivens also, once again, urged people living in the area to lock their homes, out-buildings and vehicles.
$25,000 Reward
Anyone who provides information that leads to the capture of Cavalcante could be eligible for all or part of a $25,000 reward.
You can call the tip line at 717-562-2987.
Playing the long game
At a Monday news conference, US Marshal Robert Clark said his agency’s focus has now shifted to the “long game” after Cavalcante broke the law enforcement perimeter over the weekend, and the search for him nears the two-week mark.
“Before, it was advantage Cavalcante while he was playing that tactical hide-and-seek in the woods. Now I believe it’s advantage law enforcement because he’s in an urban setting, and that’s what our investigators do best,” Clark said.
Cavalcante changed appearance
Over the weekend, Cavalcante changed his appearance, stole a dairy delivery van and tried to contact acquaintances.
Cavalcante stole the unlocked van, which had the keys inside, sometime Saturday night about three-quarters of a mile (1.2 kilometers) from the northern perimeter of the search area where hundreds of law enforcement officers had been searching for him, according to Bivens.
Bivens vowed to “aggressively continue” the search with the aid of federal, state, county and local resources and expressed confidence that the fugitive would eventually be recaptured.
“This is a minor setback,” he said. “We’ll get him, it’s a matter of time.”
Below: Escaped killer’s former roommate talks about what he was like.
Baily’s Dairy said on its Facebook page that the delivery van was stolen between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday “while we were still here working.”
The theft wasn’t noticed for hours, and in the meantime, Cavalcante, 34, traveled more than 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast to East Pikeland Township and Phoenixville. Shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday, he went to an East Pikeland Township home of a person he had worked with several years ago and asked to meet with him, police said.
The homeowner, who was at dinner with his family and didn’t respond, called police after returning home and reviewing his doorbell video. Shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday, police said, Cavalcante went to the Phoenixville area home of another former work associate, who wasn’t home, police said.
Doorbell video images showed Cavalcante to be now clean-shaven. The stolen van was found at 10:40 a.m. Sunday in a field behind a barn in East Nantmeal Township, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Phoenixville.
Bivens said he believed Cavalcante abandoned the vehicle at least in part because it was low on fuel.
Cavalcante recently sentenced to life
Cavalcante escaped from the Chester County Prison while awaiting transfer to state prison on Aug. 31 after being sentenced to life for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend in 2021. Prosecutors say he wanted to stop her from telling police that he was wanted in a killing in his home country of Brazil.
Guard fired
Authorities on Friday announced the firing of the prison tower guard on duty when Cavalcante scaled a wall by crab-walking up from the recreation yard, climbed over razor wire, ran across a roof and jumped to the ground. His escape went undetected for more than an hour until guards took a headcount.
Cavalcante’s escape and the search have attracted international attention and become big news in Brazil, where prosecutors in Tocantins state say he’s accused of “double qualified homicide” in the 2017 slaying of Válter Júnior Moreira dos Reis in Figueirópolis, which they allege was over a debt the victim owed him in connection with the repair of a vehicle.