Current:Home > Invest'Extremely dangerous' convicted murderer escapes from prison: DA-InfoLens
'Extremely dangerous' convicted murderer escapes from prison: DA
View Date:2024-12-23 12:51:28
A man recently convicted of stabbing his former girlfriend to death in broad daylight has escaped from a Pennsylvania prison, authorities said.
A manhunt is underway for Danelo Cavalcante, 34, who escaped from the Chester County Prison in Pocopson Township at approximately 8:50 a.m. local time Thursday, officials said.
He was last seen on Wawaset Road in Pocopson Township around 9:40 a.m. Thursday, according to the Chester County District Attorney's Office, which warned that Cavalcante should be considered "extremely dangerous."
"His depravity knows no bounds and this is someone who has nothing to lose," Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan told reporters at a press briefing Thursday.
Cavalcante was convicted of first-degree murder on Aug. 16 for fatally stabbing his former girlfriend 38 times in front of her two young children in 2021, officials said. At the time there was an active warrant for his arrest for an alleged murder that occurred in his native country of Brazil in 2017, according to Ryan.
He was sentenced to life in prison without parole last week for the fatal stabbing and was set to be transferred to a state correctional institution in four weeks, Ryan said.
"I don't know what he's capable of doing," Ryan said. "If he's already engaged in a murder in broad daylight in front of her two children, there's no stopping him from doing anything more egregious."
MORE: Authorities searching for inmate who escaped from Virginia hospital
How Cavalcante escaped is under investigation, Howard Holland, the acting warden of the Chester County Prison, told reporters.
"Once we noticed we had an issue with an inmate not being there, we mainly followed our protocols -- locked down the prison, did what we call a special count to confirm there was only one person missing," Holland said.
They also locked down schools and sent out alerts to residents in the immediate area of the prison, he said.
Canine units, drones and helicopters have been deployed in the manhunt, which involves law enforcement agencies including Chester County detectives, Pennsylvania State Police and U.S. Marshals.
Ryan said Cavalcante has family in the Phoenixville area in Chester County. She said he was assisted by family and friends in escaping following the 2021 stabbing before being apprehended in Virginia, and that there are concerns about him getting help now.
MORE: Jailers face mounting questions after string of suspected murderers escape
"If there are any family or friends who are actively engaging in assisting him at this time, they will also be prosecuted and we're expecting them to cooperate with law enforcement," she said.
Cavalcante was described as being 5 foot, 120 pounds with black curly hair and brown eyes. He was seen wearing a white T-shirt, gray shorts and white sneakers. He is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish and speaks some English.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to call 911.
ABC News' Jason Volack contributed to this report.
veryGood! (616)
Related
- 13 Skincare Gifts Under $50 That Are Actually Worth It
- Sparks Fly as Travis Kelce Reacts to Taylor Swift's Matching Moment
- Man surfing off Maui dies after shark encounter, Hawaii officials say
- Michael Penix Jr. leads No. 2 Washington to 37-31 victory over Texas and spot in national title game
- 'Bizarre:' Naked man arrested after found in crawl space of California woman's home
- Live updates | Fighting in central and southern Gaza after Israel says it’s pulling some troops out
- 22 people hospitalized from carbon monoxide poisoning at Mormon church in Utah
- Elvis is in the building, along with fishmongers as part of a nautical scene for the Winter Classic
- NBA players express concern for ex-player Kyle Singler after social media post
- Brazil’s economy improves during President Lula’s first year back, but a political divide remains
Ranking
- King Charles III celebrates 76th birthday amid cancer battle, opens food hubs
- Pakistan human rights body says an upcoming election is unlikely to be free and fair
- Nadal returns with a win in Brisbane in first competitive singles match in a year
- Planning to retire in 2024? 3 things you should know about taxes
- Week 10 fantasy football rankings: PPR, half-PPR and standard leagues
- Turkey detains 33 people suspected of spying on behalf of Israel
- 16-year-old boy fatally stabbed on a hill overlooking London during New Year’s Eve
- Carrie Bernans, stuntwoman in 'The Color Purple,' hospitalized after NYC hit-and-run
Recommendation
-
Oklahoma school district adding anti-harassment policies after nonbinary teen’s death
-
Owen the Owl was stranded in the middle the road. A Georgia police officer rescued him.
-
The Endangered Species Act at 50: The most dazzling and impactful environmental feat of all time
-
What does a total abortion ban look like in Dominican Republic?
-
Armie Hammer Says His Mom Gifted Him a Vasectomy for His 38th Birthday
-
Federal appeals court temporarily delays new state-run court in Mississippi’s majority-Black capital
-
What does a total abortion ban look like in Dominican Republic?
-
Happy Holidays with Geena Davis, Weird Al, and Jacob Knowles!