Escaped Murderer Danelo Cavalcante Captured
The fugitive murderer Danelo Cavalcante was caught alive on Wednesday morning in a densely wooded area of South Coventry Township, Chester County, after eluding hundreds of law enforcement officers for 13 days.
Facts
- The fugitive murderer Danelo Cavalcante was caught alive on Wednesday morning in a densely wooded area of South Coventry Township, Chester County, after eluding hundreds of law enforcement officers for 13 days.1
- This comes after authorities tracked him down using thermal heat technology from a US Drug Enforcement Administration aircraft.2
- Lt. Col. George Bivens detailed that Cavalcante, who was ultimately subdued by a Border Patrol dog, was forcibly taken into custody and transported to a Pennsylvania State Police station in Avondale for processing.3
- While the escapee had stolen a .22-caliber rifle with a mounted scope from a home nearby on Monday night, not a single shot was fired in his capture. Cavalcante was treated for a minor bite wound.4
- The fugitive escaped the Chester County Prison by climbing up a wall just days after he was sentenced to life in prison for killing his ex-girlfriend, Deborah Brandão, in front of her two children in April 2021.5
- He reportedly stabbed Brandão to stop her from reporting to US authorities that Cavalcante was wanted in their native Brazil for gunning down a student at a food truck stand in Figueirópolis, Tocantins, in 2017.6
Sources: 1New York Times, 2NBC, 3Inquirer, 4FOX News, 5New York Post, and 6Daily Mail.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Inquirer. While this vicious murderer has finally been caught, Chester County has consistently failed to prevent inmates from escaping from the county prison. There's a clear issue with Chester County prison, and local authorities must improve their ability to stop prison escapes and keep their community safe.
- Narrative B, as provided by New York Post. The manhunt for Cavalcante has revealed a wider problem that goes far beyond Chester County, Pennsylvania. The US needs to take a serious look at its immigration and criminal justice process regarding how an illegal alien who was convicted of murder in his own country could end up in this situation. There are wider systemic issues here.
