Law enforcement officials are seeking a 34-year-old convicted murderer who escaped from a Pennsylvania prison Aug. 31.
Danelo Cavalcante escaped from Chester County Prison in West Chester at approximately 8:45 a.m. Thursday morning, one week after receiving a life sentence for the stabbing murder of his former girlfriend, The New York Times reported. Cavalcante is a Brazilian national who is also wanted for homicide in Brazil and is fluent in both Portuguese and Spanish, a release from the Chester County District Attorney’s office stated.
Describing Cavalcante as an “extremely dangerous man,” Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan told CNN the convicted murderer was “really good at hiding from law enforcement,” adding that she believed he would “do anything in his power to attempt to evade” capture. (RELATED: Manhunt Underway For Murder Suspect With ‘Survivalist Skills)
Cavalcante, a former gang member in Brazil, was convicted for stabbing former girlfriend Deborah Brandao to death in front of her two children in April 2021, the district attorney’s office stated in August. Brandao was killed after threatening to call the authorities when she learned of the homicide allegations against Cavalcante in Brazil. Brandao was reportedly outside with her children, aged 4 and 7, when Calvacante arrived at their home, grabbed the victim’s hair, threw her to the ground and began stabbing her, the release stated.
“The defendant committed the most heinous crime imaginable by taking another human life. Not only did he butcher Deborah Brandao to death with 38 stab wounds on virtually every vital organ, he did this in front of her two young children who will have to live with that horrific trauma for the rest of their lives,” Ryan stated in the release.
Pennsylvania State Police have assured they are doing everything in their power to bring Cavalcante back to justice but have warned the public not to approach the escaped convict if spotted.
An investigation into how Cavalcante managed to escape is underway, acting prison warden Howard Holland stated, according to The New York Times.