Escaped Inmate Danelo Cavalcante captured, PA State Police say

CHESTER COUNTY, Pa (WPHL) — The murderer who escaped from the Chester County Prison two weeks ago has now been captured.

According to Pennsylvania State Police, Danelo Cavalcante was captured at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday, September 13, hiding under a pile of logs at the Little’s John Deere tractor supply property.

On Wednesday morning, Pennsylvania State Police tweeted a statement saying Danelo Cavalcante was finally caught and announced a press conference where they provided details of Cavalcante’s capture.

Full press conference:

Prior to his capture, Cavalcante was on the run for 14 days successfully evading PA State Police, FBI, U.S. Marshalls, Border Patrol, and hundreds of law enforcement officer daily.

Ironically, Cavalcante was wearing an Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt when he was captured. As it is currently not known where Cavalcante obtained this clothing, Governor Josh Shapiro joked during the press conference saying, ” Folks, whoever had their Eagles hoodie stolen, if you could let us know and I’ll do my best to get you one of those new Kelly green ones.”

Authorities say Cavalcante was planning to carjack a vehicle and flee to either Canada or Puerto Rico, if he wouldn’t have been captured on Wednesday. New information coming out from authorities tells us that Cavalcante survived off of a watermelon he stole from a farm and then cracked open with his head, and by drinking creek water. In order to cover up his tracks, Cavalcante told police he covered up his debris and waste with leaves. Cavalcante also told officials that he would stay put during the day and move at night, and that on numerous occasions, police were just mere feet away from finding him.

Timeline of Cavalcante’s capture:

September 13, shortly after midnight– PA State Police receives a report of a burglary at a residence in Chester County, within the search perimeter. Cavalcante was not found, but this brought an increased police presence to the area.

September 13 at 1 a.m. – A PA State Police helicopter picked up a heat signal, west of PA Route 100, and began tracking it. Tactical teams arrived and began securing the area. A lightning storm begins in the area and the helicopter and tactical teams are forced to back off and wait until sunrise, when the storm had passed.

September 13 at 8 a.m.– Tactical team operation resumes and officers surround the area where Cavalcante was hiding. Using the element of surprise, tactical units surrounded Cavalcante, without him realizing. Cavalcante attempts to escape, crawling through the thick underbrush, taking his stolen .22 rifle with him but a K9 dog, named Yoda, subdues him. Cavalcante resists arrest but Border Control officers forcibly place him into custody and transport him to the PA State Police Avondale station for processing. Cavalcante suffered a bite wound from the K9 but was later medically cleared.

September 13, afternoon– Cavalcante was transported to the Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution, Phoenix, where he will serve out his life sentence.

Timeline of Cavalcante’s escape:

May 19– Chester County Prison Inmate Igor Bolte attempts to break out by scaling a wall and climbing out through the roof. A tower officer sees Bolte leaving the prison yard, rings the alarm, and Bolte is caught within 5 minutes of his attempted escape.

August 16– Cavalcante is convicted of first-degree murder for the fatal murder of his ex- girlfriend in front of her two young children in 2021.

August 22– Cavalcante is sentenced to life in prison without parole.

August 31 at 8:51 a.m. – Cavalcante from the Chester County Prison by using Bolte’s failed escape plan and “crab walking” up the wall, pushing through razor wire which was installed after Bolte’s escape, running across the roof, and making his escape. According to officials, the Tower Officer on duty did not observe Cavalcante’s escape. Cavalcante is marked as missing an hour later, the prison is placed on lockdown at 9:50 a.m., and an escaped prisoner siren is sounded at 10:01 a.m. Chester County Commissioners and U.S. Marshals offering a $10,000 reward.

September 2– Cavalcante is spotted at 1:43 a.m. on a residential Ring doorbell camera on the 1800 block of Lenape Road. He was seen wearing a white T-shirt, white sneakers and a backpack.

September 4– Cavalcante is recorded at 8:21 p.m. and 9:33 p.m. on a trail camera inside the Longwood Gardens property. He was wearing a backpack, and a hooded sweatshirt.

September 7– The reward for Cavalcante’s capture is increased to $20,000. The guard tower who was on duty during Cavalcante’s escape is fired.

September 9– Cavalcante steals a white Ford van from Baily’s Dairy, and is later spotted on a doorbell camera at 9:52 p.m. in East Pikeland Township. Cavalcante was now clean-shaven and wearing a green hooded sweatshirt overtop of a dark baseball hat.

September 10– Police locate the stolen van at 10:40 a.m. which was left abandoned with no fuel.

September 11– Cavalcante enters the garage of a home on Coverntry Road and steals a .22 caliber rifle with a scope and flashlight attached. The homeowner who was in the garage at the time, fires at Cavalcante with a pistol, but police do not believe he was hit. Cavalcante’s white t-shirt and green sweatshirt were found on the homeowner’s driveway. Police receive a call stating Cavalcante was seen crouching along Fairview Road west of Route 100 at 8 p.m. State Police troopers formed a perimeter around the area and were able to locate a set of footprints that matched the description of the shoes Cavalcante’s prison boots. Police find Cavalcante’s prison boots and, later receive a report of a pair of boots stolen from a porch. At this point, police believe he is shirtless and wearing blue pants. The reward for Cavalcante’s capture increases to $25,000.

September 12– At 6:22 a.m., Pennsylvania State Police send out a 9-1-1 phone alert stating that the the Owen J Roberts School District will be closed today, September 12, out of an abundance of caution. The alert also urged residents to secure their homes, remain vigilant, avoid traveling on roadways, and to review surveillance cameras and alert police if they observe anything suspicious.

The search perimeter for Cavalcante is increased to include: