Danello Cavalcante Manhunt: Escaped Killer Now Armed; Police urged some residents to stay indoors
Danelo Cavalcante is now armed with the stolen rifle as the hunt for the fugitive killer intensifies
Police said a homeowner confronted Cavalcante inside their garage and opened fire on the fugitive, who managed to steal a rifle and flee on foot.
East Nantmel, Pa. – After a homeowner shot fugitive killer Danelo Cavalcante several times after he broke into his home and stole a .22 caliber rifle Monday night, officials confirmed they are now stepping up their search for the armed killer.
Authorities ordered a new search perimeter Monday night after seeing a report near Fairview Road in East Nantmill Township, about 20 miles from the area where police spent the day in their frantic search for Cavalcante.
Officials set new search areas during a news conference Tuesday: PA 23 to the north; Prior to PA 100; on the south by Fairview and Nantmill streets; and west by Iron Bridge and County Park Road.
On Tuesday morning, Wayne J. The Roberts School District closed all seven schools and offices for the day as a large police presence closed several roads near Routes 100 and 23 in North Coventry Township.
Homes in the area have not been evacuated at this time, but authorities are urging residents to stay safe and vigilant as the armed and “extremely dangerous” fugitive remains on the run.
“He is armed. Area residents are asked to lock all doors and windows, secure vehicles and stay indoors. Do not approach. Call 911 if seen,” Pennsylvania State Police said.
The police presence included tracking dogs, a search helicopter and heavily armed law enforcement as night fell on the rural community in East Nantmeal Township. Police issued a reverse 911 call advising residents of East Nantmill Township to shelter in place that Cavalcante “may be armed.”
The manhunt for Danilo Cavalcante continues miles away from the original search zone
Authorities ordered a new search perimeter Monday night after seeing a report near Fairview Road in East Nantmill Township, about 20 miles from the area where police spent the day looking for Cavalcante.
Officials confirmed Tuesday that an east Nantmeal Township homeowner confronted Cavalcante after the fugitive entered his garage around 10:10 a.m. without realizing he was inside at the time. The homeowner then fired several shots at the fleeing killer as he fled with a stolen .22 caliber rifle.
Officials say this is the second confirmed sighting of Cavalcante Monday night. The first was reported by a motorist who told police they saw the killer fleeing near Fairview Road around 8 p.m.
An updated description issued by the Pennsylvania State Police described Cavalcante as shirtless, carrying a .22 cutoff rail, a 10-round magazine and a scope. A clean-shaven Cavalcant was recently spotted on a doorbell camera wearing a light green hooded sweatshirt.
Cavalcante’s green hoodie and prison shoes were recovered during Monday’s response, according to officials, who said a resident reported work boots stolen from their home Monday night.
Officials say footprints matching Cavalcante’s prison shoes were also found in the first viewing area Monday night.
Danilo Cavalcante Manhunt:
About 500 law enforcement personnel, including state police, AFT, local police, US marshals and Border Patrol, are now actively searching for the armed killer using K9 teams, horses and aerial equipment.
Although Cavalcante is now in possession of a rifle, officials say nothing has changed, as he was “always considered dangerous.”
Cavalcante has eluded arrest since Aug. 31, when he acrobatically walked out of the Chester County Jail awaiting transfer to a different lockup. He was jailed for life for fatally stabbing an ex-girlfriend in 2021, allegedly to prevent her from telling police about a murder in her home country of Brazil.
To escape, Cavalcante crab-walks a wall from the amusement park, climbs over razor wire, runs across a roof and jumps to the ground. His escape went undetected for over an hour until the guards did a headcount. The tower guard on duty has been dismissed, officials said.
Over the weekend, police said the 34-year-old had gotten past their defenses in a van stolen from a local dairy. It is believed that Cavalcante used the van to drive north to the Phoenixville-area where authorities later recovered the vehicle abandoned near a barn.
Police said he went to the homes of two former work associates, including one who was having dinner with his family, and spoke to Cavalcante through a doorbell camera. No one else was home when Cavalcante went to his home, but police said another female resident alerted him.
Police share video of Danilo Cavalcante’s escape from Pennsylvania prison
Video shared by police shows convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante scale the walls of the Chester County Jail, allowing him to escape and lead a weeks-long manhunt.
In Brazil, prosecutors in the state of Tocantins said Cavalcante was charged with “double qualified homicide” in the 2017 killing of Valter Jr. Moreira dos Reis in Figueroapolis, which they said was owed to the victim for a vehicle repair.
US authorities described Cavalcante as extremely dangerous. A $25,000 reward is being offered for his capture.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
