- Danelo Cavalcante escaped from Chester County Prison on Aug. 31
- He was recently convicted of fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend
- State police say he is driving a white transit van reportedly stolen from a dairy
PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. (AP) — An escaped murderer on the run for more than a week in southeast Pennsylvania has been spotted with what police called “a changed appearance.”
Pennsylvania State Police said in a statement on Sunday that Danelo Souza Cavalcante was seen overnight near Phoenixville in northern Chester County.
Cavalcante is now clean-shaven and wearing a yellow or green hooded sweatshirt, black baseball cap, green prison pants and white shoes, the statement said.
He was driving a 2020 White Ford Transit van that has a refrigeration unit on the top. It had been reported stolen by Baily’s Dairy in Pocopson Township and has Pennsylvania registration ZST8818, state police said.
Cavalcante, 34, escaped from the Chester County Prison while awaiting transfer to state prison on Aug. 31 after being sentenced to life for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend in 2021. Prosecutors say he wanted to stop her from telling police that he’s wanted in a killing in his home country of Brazil.
Updated photos of Cavalcante, reference the below post ⬇️ Dial 911 if seen or call the tip line at 717-562-2987 pic.twitter.com/HqVNGYV7Bf
— PA State Police (@PAStatePolice) September 10, 2023
Phoenixville is about 13 miles northeast of the prison and outside the area where authorities believed they had Cavalcante boxed in. Several sightings were reported in the area around Longwood Gardens.
Authorities have described Cavalcante as extremely dangerous. Police are asking anyone with information to call 911.
By late Sunday morning, state police said they don't believe Cavalcante remains in the Phoenixville area.
*Cavalcante Update*: To those residents in the area of Phoenixville, you may no longer see a large law enforcement presence in your area. Investigative leads have emerged that indicate Cavalcante is no longer in that area. Thank you for support.
— PA State Police (@PAStatePolice) September 10, 2023
Baily's Dairy said on its Facebook page that its delivery van was stolen between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday “while we were still here working."
The dairy said it was working with law enforcement to help the investigation and “we ... are just as disappointed as everyone that he broke through the perimeter in Longwood.”
Officials on Friday announced the firing of the prison tower guard on duty when Cavalcante scaled a wall by crab-walking up from the recreation yard, climbed over razor wire, ran across a roof and jumped to the ground.
His escape went undetected for more than an hour until guards took a headcount.