Fugitive Murderer Seen In Longwood Gardens Prompts Evacuation: Report

POCOPSON TOWNSHIP, PA - Trail camera footage capturing escaped murderer Danelo Souza Cavalcante resulted in the closure and evacuation of Longwood Gardens Thursday, according to a new report.

The footage was recorded Wednesday evening but wasn’t viewed by police until Thursday afternoon, sources told 6abc.

The garden will be closed until further notice; a text message from Longwood Gardens was sent Thursday warning those in the area to shelter in place out of caution.

There have been a handful of sightings of Cavalcante since his escape last Thursday, including a report of Cavalcante inside an area home. Read more: Escaped Murderer Broke Into PA House, Homeowner Alleges: Report

Police say Cavalcante is still within the 8- to 10-square-mile search area, with the latest sighting in Longwood Gardens prompting law enforcement to expand the search area west, according to 6abc.

Cavalcante escaped the Chester County Prison in Pocopson Township at around 8:50 a.m. Thursday morning, Patch previously reported. He was last seen around 50 minutes later walking on Wawaset Road.

Cavalcante was convicted on Aug. 16 of first-degree murder in the April 18, 2021 stabbing of his former girlfriend Deborah Brandao in front of her children, ages 4 and 7, outside her home in the 300 block of Pawlings Road, Schuylkill Township. Witnesses testified the victim was stabbed 38 times.

He was sentenced on Aug. 22 to life in prison after a jury deliberated for 15 minutes.
On Thursday, he was awaiting transfer to state prison to serve out his sentence when he escaped.

Credible sightings documented by authorities were reported within the search area near the intersection of Rt. 926 and Rt. 52, north on Rt. 52 to Parkersville Road, southeast to Rt. 926 and west to the intersection of Rt. 926 and Rt. 52.

Another sighting of Cavalcante was reported around 6 p.m. Monday, but the Brazilian national was not found when police arrived at the scene, 6abc reported.

Pennsylvania State Police noted at a Monday press conference that a state trooper spotted Cavalcante Sunday afternoon, but eventually lost sight of the fugitive.

A home surveillance camera caught a glimpse of Cavalcante shortly before 1:45 a.m. Saturday morning in the 1800 block of Lenape Road, around 1.5 miles from the prison, officials said.

He was wearing gray shorts, a white T-shirt, and white sneakers. His appearance has remained unchanged since his escape Thursday morning, officials said Saturday.

Cavalcante is 5 feet tall and weighs 120 pounds. He has long, black curly hair and is wearing a backpack. Authorities on Saturday said they did not know where he obtained the backpack. He has relatives in the Phoenixville area, officials said.