Cavalcante's Escape: Third Town Hall Monday, Oct. 2

WEST CHESTER, PA –Chester County commissioners announced Thursday that an in-person town hall meeting is scheduled for residents of northern Chester County who were impacted by the Aug. 31 prison escape of convicted murderer Danilo Cavalcante.

The town hall is at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 2, at Owen J. Roberts Middle School, 881 Ridge Road, Pottstown.

Meanwhile, a preliminary hearing on escape charges filed against Cavalcante that was scheduled for Friday, Sept. 29, in Kennett Square has been postponed. A new date has not been set.

The third town hall event is in the northern part of the county, to reach residents in the area where Cavalcante fled and was captured on Sept. 13 following a two-week manhunt ranging over 20 miles from southern to northern Chester County.

The meeting, hosted by the commissioners, will explain the emergency communication process for county residents, provide an opportunity for residents to ask questions about the final days of the search and capture of Cavalcante, and offer counseling services for those who have experienced emotional stress related to the escape.

“For many of our residents, the fear and anxiety generated by the escape of Cavalcante did not stop with his capture, especially for those in the community in and around South Coventry Township where the convict was found,” Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell, and Michelle Kichline said in a joint statement.

“We know that it will take time for the memory of that nightmare to subside, and so in addition to providing information on the emergency notification process, we will listen to resident concerns, answer questions about the search and capture of Cavalcante, and provide emotional support resources at the town hall event and after.”

Following the escape, Chester County officials began upgrading security at the Pocopson Township prison.

Maxwell said under the current system, prisoners are scheduled twice a month to be taken from the county jail to a state prison. The plan is to speed up the process.

At a meeting last week, the prison board approved security upgrades at the Pocopson Township jail, including purchasing more cameras and hiring correctional officers to monitor the cameras.

Cavalcante was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on Aug. 16 for the April 2021 fatal stabbing of his ex-girlfriend Deborah Brandao, 33, in Schuylkill Township. Cavalcante was also wanted in Brazil for a 2017 killing.

Cavalcante is in the State Correctional Institute at Phoenix, a maximum security prison in Skippack Township, Montgomery County.

Residents who have questions about the efforts that the county has made to improve security measures at Chester County Prison, and prison-related emergency notifications, can send questions to the Chester County Commissioners at cccommissioners@chesco.org.