An escaped murderer is still on the run in Pennsylvania, where two school districts closed Wednesday for the second day after he was seen in their area.
Danelo Cavalcante, 34, was sentenced to live in prison in August for killing his former girlfriend, Deborah Brandao, in 2021. He is also wanted in his native Brazil for an unrelated death in 2021, as CrimeOnline reported.
Calvacante escaped the Chester County Prison, where he was awaiting transfer to a state facility, on August 31, when he climbed to the roof, sources told CBS News. Since then, he has been spotted several times on surveillance cameras and once by a state trooper who gave chase but couldn’t catch him.
The search in Chester Co. for escapee Danelo Cavalcante continues this morning. These photos of him were captured on a trail-cam on the property of Longwood Gardens last night. We’re asking the public to call 911 if he’s spotted or to report any suspicious activity right away. pic.twitter.com/mz9S7Z1nae
— PA State Police (@PAStatePolice) September 5, 2023
Because of those sightings, the escapee is believed to be in the same area and does not appear to be receiving help from anyone. The most recent sightings prompted officials to expand the area they were searching. And that’s when the Unionsville-Chadds Ford School District and the Kennett Consolidated Schoot District shut down their school buildings.
“We have received information regarding the updated search perimeter still within our district borders. In fact, three of our schools are within or border the search area,” Unionville-Chadds Ford School District Superintendent John Sanville said in a statement posted on the district website. “Additionally, there are numerous road closures in our community that will impact many of our staff and families’ ability to safely get to school.”
The district said that while the buildings are closed, officials implemeted the remote learning protocols.
The Kennett district said it was working with county and state officials to “determine the best and safest way to open schools outside the search perimeter that will allow access for all of our students as soon as possible.” In the meantime, Superintendent Dusty Blakey said, the district has requested a waiver from the state Board of Education for the missed days.
Recent sightings of the fugitive include two trail cam images from Longwood Gardens in Chester County, where he was seen traveling northbound and then, about an hour later, back southbound.
One resident said Calvacante came inside his home and took some produce — snap peas and peaches.
A $10,000 reward has been offered for information leading to Cavalcante’s capture.
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[Featured image: Danelo Cavalcante/Chester County District Attorney’s Office]
