Pennsylvania murderer ‘crab-walked’ up a wall during prison break, officials say

A convicted murderer who escaped Chester County Prison seven days ago did so by scrambling up the prison yard walls, diving through barbed wire and bolting across the roof of the facility, authorities said Wednesday, adding that a similar escape method was used by another inmate to flee the prison earlier this year.

An officer in the guard tower overlooking the exercise yard, where the escape occurred, “did not observe nor report the escape,” and is a “key part” of an ongoing internal investigation, acting Chester County Prison warden Howard Holland said during a news conference.

In the meantime, the facility will increase its security measures by enclosing its yards and adding more razor wire “to block access to the roof,” Holland said. There will also be additional video cameras and an officer will be positioned in the yard. Prior to the escape, an officer did not stand in the yard with inmates.

Danelo Cavalcante, 34, began his escape at 8:33 a.m. Thursday, when he and other inmates entered the yard. By 8:51 a.m., Cavalcante had “crab-walked” up a wall, pushed through razor wire and ran across the roof. He then scaled another fence and pushed through more razor wire, Holland said.

At 9:45 a.m., officers noted a missing inmate, launching the prison into a special count that confirmed Cavalcante’s disappearance.

Cavalcante’s escape followed that of Igor Bolte, who authorities said broke out of the Chester County Prison in a similar way in May. A prison guard saw Bolte’s attempted escape and notified other officers, who caught the inmate almost immediately, authorities said Wednesday. Authorities said the facility added barbed wire following Bolte’s breakout.

“We will thoroughly review all of our practices, policies and make improvements as appropriate,” Holland said.

Officials continued an intensive search Wednesday afternoon, nearly a week after the brazen escape. “Our main focus is bringing this man into custody. We are putting all of our efforts into trying to locate him,” said Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan.

Roughly 250 personnel are searching an area of Pocopson Township, about 30 miles west of Philadelphia. Multiple credible sightings of Cavalcante, including a Monday sighting on a trail camera, and another sighting Tuesday evening, have caused officials to expand the search perimeter.

The trail cam photos of Cavalcante showed he was south of the search perimeter authorities set up last week. That realization prompted two school districts - Kennett Consolidated School District and Unionville-Chadds Ford School District - to cancel classes Tuesday and Wednesday because both have schools within the new search area.

Officials waited a week to say how Cavalcante broke out of the prison, citing an ongoing investigation. Authorities said they have an idea of what his final destination is, but declined to expand beyond that he was “headed south” within their search perimeter, according to Lt. Col. George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police.

Cavalcante escaped about a week after he was sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing his 33-year-old ex-girlfriend, Deborah Brandao. He stabbed Brandao nearly 40 times in front of her two children, ages 4 and 7, in August 2021 before fleeing the scene, according to the district attorney’s office. Authorities found him in Virginia.

Prosecutors said Cavalcante, who had a history of domestic violence, stabbed Brandao after she learned he had an open warrant for a 2017 murder that occurred in Brazil, which is where Cavalcante was born. Detectives determined Cavalcante killed her after she threatened to expose him to the police, according to prosecutors.

Authorities described Cavalcante as 5 feet tall and 120 pounds, with long black curly hair and brown eyes. They increased the reward Wednesday to $20,000, up from $10,000, for anyone with information leading to Cavalcante’s arrest, officials said. Anyone with information can call the tip line authorities set up at 610-344-6480.