Pennsylvania State Police have announced they are taking over the manhunt for a convicted murderer who escaped from a Chester County jail on Thursday and has since been spotted four times.
Cavalcante is originally from Brazil, where he is also wanted for murder, and is illegally residing in the United States.
Danelo Souza Cavalcante, 34, of Royersford, Pennsylvania, was last spotted by state police within a two-mile radius of a wooded area in Chester County being staked out as police focus their search on the area.
Lt. Col. George Bivens, deputy commissioner of operations for the Pennsylvania State Police, told reporters Monday afternoon that the trooper spotted Cavalcante from a distance and pursued him, but was unable to capture the fugitive due to terrain and other obstacles.
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Bivens also said Cavalcante looked a bit worn and tired during the “very brief sighting”.
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The sighting was discussed at a press conference in which Bivens announced that the office of Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan has requested that the state police take the lead role in the investigation, which had been agreed.
Bivens said state police will deploy more technology and personnel to help resolve the situation.
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Since Cavalcante escaped prison, there have been several credible sightings in an area bounded by the intersection of Route 926 and 52 North at 52 to Parker’s Mill Road Southeast to 926, and west to the intersection of 926 and 52 in Pocopson Township .
On Saturday, the escaped killer was spotted on a surveillance camera at about 12:30 am in a residential area in the 1800 block of Lenape Road, about 1.5 miles from the prison.
Bivens asked residents in the area on Monday to check on their neighbors if they are not home and to report it to police so that the property can be checked in their absence.
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Bivens also said that a helicopter is flying over the area as it transmits a message.
“One of the things we did is we had the individual’s mother make a recording asking him to surrender peacefully,” Bivens said, adding that the message was recorded in Portuguese. “It is being broadcast in an effort to facilitate his peaceful surrender.”
Bivens said his team recognizes this is stressful for the community, adding that they are working to bring this to an end as soon as possible.
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When Cavalcante was spotted, he was wearing slacks, a light-colored T-shirt and white sneakers.
According to a report from District Attorney Ryan’s office, his appearance has remained unchanged, he has long, curly black hair and carries a backpack.
Law enforcement is searching the area around the sighting with agents from multiple state and federal agencies.
Ryan said: “Law enforcement is asking residents in the area to stay indoors at this time. Lock up your vehicles. Check your surveillance cameras and if you see anything suspicious, contact the police. Danelo Cavalcante is considered an extremely dangerous man. Remain vigilant in helping with this search. If you see this person, do not approach them. Call 911 immediately.”
Pennsylvania law enforcement officials and the US Marshals Service are now offering a $10,000 reward in the search for Cavalcante, who was recently convicted of the 2021 murder of his ex-girlfriend and sentenced to life in prison.
Cavalcante — who the US Marshals Service also says is also “wanted for a murder in Brazil,” his home country — escaped from Chester County jail Thursday morning, but investigators said they believed he was heading south.
Immigration officials aren’t sure when Cavalcante entered the US, but told Fox News Digital he was not “inspected or admitted by any US immigration official.”
“After his arrest in the United States, ICE became aware of his unlawful presence and an ICE detainee was charged against Souza Cavalcante,” said an agency spokesman. “ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), from the ERO Philadelphia Field Office, are supporting local, state and federal partners in the search for Souza Cavalcante.”
Fox News’ Greg Norman and Timothy Nerozzi contributed to this report.
Original article source: PA state police take over hunt for escaped convicted murderer and play mother’s plea for helicopter surrender
