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Danelo Cavalcante, 34, escaped on Aug. 31 from Chester County
Prison in the vicinity of Philadelphia where he was awaiting
transfer to a state prison to serve a life sentence for killing
his ex-girlfriend.
Police said that Cavalcante on Saturday stole a white Ford van
just outside the area law enforcement was monitoring around the
prison and used it to travel approximately 25 miles (40 km) to
the township of East Pikeland.
The van's keys had been left inside the vehicle, police said.
The fugitive then attempted to contact a former work associate
at his residence and was captured on video by the doorbell
camera.
Screenshots of the video circulated by police earlier on Sunday
show Cavalcante changed his appearance to elude capture
including shaving his beard and mustache.
"You will note that Cavalcante is now clean shaven and wearing a
bright green hooded sweatshirt," Lieutenant Colonel George
Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police told reporters on
Sunday.
Bivens said the fugitive attempted to contact a second work
associate on Saturday night in Phoenixville, about 30 miles
northwest of Philadelphia, but once again the individual was not
home. A neighbor noticed Cavalcante and notified authorities.
Police said it recovered the stolen van in a field on Sunday
morning, but Cavalcante was nowhere to be found.
"No perimeter is 100% secure ever," Bevins said in response to
questions from the media about how the fugitive could elude such
a large law enforcement effort, with hundreds of officers
involved in the search. "I am confident we will capture him, and
we will bring him back into the criminal justice system."
Cavalcante, a Brazilian national, is also a suspect in a 2017
murder in Brazil, the U.S. Marshals have said. Police on Sunday
confirmed that his sister was detained by U.S. immigration
authorities and faces deportation.
There have been multiple sightings of Cavalcante since his jail
break. Last week, school districts in the area canceled classes
for a day after one such sighting, officials said.
Police have offered up to $20,000 for tips leading to his
capture.
(Reporting by Maria Caspani; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and
Lisa Shumaker)
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