A convicted killer, Danilo Cavalcante, who was captured last year after a two-week escape in southeastern Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty to escape and burglary charges. The 35-year-old was sentenced to serve an additional 15 to 30 years on top of his existing life sentence without parole for the murder of his ex-girlfriend.
Cavalcante, a native of Brazil, managed to escape from a Chester County lockup while awaiting transfer to state prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend. His escape involved climbing between two walls in a jail exercise yard, scaling razor wire, and jumping from a roof. The initial murder was committed to prevent his ex-girlfriend from reporting charges against him related to a 2017 slaying in Brazil.
During his time on the run, Cavalcante resorted to stealing a truck from a dairy farm and survived by pilfering food, clothing, and other items from residences. The fugitive was eventually confronted by a homeowner in an open garage attempting to steal a rifle. Shots were fired, but Cavalcante managed to evade capture for two more days before being apprehended by searchers using thermal imaging from a plane and K-9 search dogs.
Speaking through a Portuguese interpreter, Cavalcante informed the judge that his education had ceased in the fourth grade. Despite his circumstances, the County Judge encouraged him to find a way to make something meaningful out of his life, even while incarcerated. She suggested the possibility of becoming a mentor for a positive cause, emphasizing that it is never too late to make a difference.
His defense lawyer, Lonny Fish, mentioned that Cavalcante promptly agreed to plead guilty to the charges. The plea was entered just before the one-year anniversary of his escape, which had instilled fear in many residents across the Philadelphia region. Fish expressed that Cavalcante may not have fully grasped the impact of his actions and the chaos he had caused.
