POCOPSON — Authorities on Saturday said convicted murderer Danelo Sousa Cavalcante had been spotted less than 2 miles from the Chester County Prison from where he had escaped about 40 hours earlier.
During a press conference Saturday afternoon, Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan confirmed that Cavalcante had been sighted.
“One resident indicated they observed a small male fitting the description of our suspect with a backpack on in the area,” Ryan said. “There is evidence to suggest that he’s still in the local (residential area). We just now believe he has not gotten more than 1 to 2 miles away from the prison. Law enforcement is still actively canvassing the area.”
In a press release issued Saturday, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office said Cavalcante, 34, of Montgomery County was seen on a residential surveillance camera about 12:30 a.m. Saturday in the 1800 block of Lenape Road, about 1½ miles from the prison.
Officials said they believe Cavalcante is hiding in a heavily wooded residential area.
Robert Carr Jr. of the U.S. Marshals Service added that they believe the fugitive is in a residential area of about 271 homes. He added that since the sighting of Cavalcante, additional investigators have been brought in to assist in the search.
“There’s well over 100 investigators out there from the state police, U.S. Marshals, local, state and county assets as well,” Carr said. “So our presence in the area has only gone up since this positive sighting (Friday) night.”
Cavalcante was wearing pants, a light-colored T-shirt and white sneakers, the same clothing he was last seen in after he escaped from the prison early Thursday. He has long, black curly hair and was wearing a backpack, although it was unclear where he may have acquired the backpack.
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