Man convicted of killing girlfriend escapes Pa. prison

WEST CHESTER — A man recently convicted of murder in Pennsylvania for the fatal stabbing his ex-girlfriend remained at large Friday, a day after he escaped from a county jail.

Danelo Cavalcante, 34, is also wanted in his native Brazil in a separate slaying and is considered an extremely dangerous person, Chester County prosecutors say.

The search continued Friday, with authorities widening the search area, following up on every lead and doing everything they can to find Cavalcante, said Dana Moore, a spokesperson for the Chester County district attorney’s office.

Cavalcante escaped Thursday morning and was seen walking on a road near the prison shortly afterward, authorities said. Authorities did not disclose the circumstances of his escape, but said the matter is the subject of an internal investigation.

A jury convicted Cavalcante last month of killing Deborah Brandao, his ex-girlfriend, in front of her children in April 2021. Prosecutors have said that he killed Brandao to stop her from telling police about the charges against him in Brazil in connection with a 2017 slaying.

Cavalcante was sentenced to life in prison and was awaiting a transfer to state prison.

Authorities described him as 5 feet tall and 120 pounds. He has curly black hair and a closely cropped beard and mustache, according to a photo the county released.