POTTSTOWN, Penn. – After successfully breaking out of Chester County Prison, Danelo Cavalcante received no assistance and resorted to surviving on watermelon and stream water until his capture on Wednesday, WPVI reported.
On August 31, the escaped prisoner managed to crab-walk up two prison walls, ultimately finding sustenance in a watermelon patch during his 14-day fugitive run. Cavalcante also told detectives he was almost stepped on by an officer during the manhunt.
WPVI also reported that he narrowly evaded police detection at one point during the manhunt, going to great lengths to cover his tracks, including concealing his own waste along his path. Law enforcement’s significant breakthrough occurred overnight when a plane equipped with thermal imaging technology detected his heat signature, enabling ground teams to secure the area, encircle him, and deploy search dogs.
Cavalcante, who was still armed with a stolen rifle from a homeowner’s garage, attempted to escape by crawling through thick underbrush. However, a search dog successfully subdued him. While wearing a Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt, Cavalcante continued to resist until he was taken into custody after 8 a.m., according to officials.
The 34-year-old convict had escaped from Chester County jail on August 31 while awaiting transfer to a state prison, where he was to serve a life sentence for the fatal stabbing of an ex-girlfriend in 2021. Prosecutors alleged that he killed her to prevent her from informing the police that he was wanted for a murder in Brazil, his home country.
News by Breaking911
