On September 13, 2023, a convicted murderer, who had been on the run for nearly two weeks, was apprehended by authorities in South Coventry Township, Pennsylvania.
Danelo Cavalcante’s capture followed a massive manhunt involving more than 400 law enforcement officers, and he was described as “extremely dangerous.” The fugitive had escaped from Chester County Prison on August 31, just a week after being sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his former girlfriend, Deborah Brandao.
Cavalcante’s mother, Iracema, defended her son’s actions, claiming he had “no other choice” but to kill Brandao. She blamed Brandao, alleging that the woman had a stranglehold on her son and took a hostile stance toward him. Iracema asserted that it was not a case of femicide and that her son’s actions resulted from Brandao’s behavior.
Pennsylvania authorities believe that Cavalcante, 34, killed Brandao, 33, in April 2021 after Brandao discovered evidence linking him to a murder in his home country of Brazil four years earlier. Iracema claims that Valtar Junior Moreira dos Reis, the victim in the Brazilian case, had also threatened her son’s life.
Efforts to arrest Cavalcante included broadcasting a message recorded by Iracema in which she urged her son to surrender. However, Iracema expressed concerns about her son’s fate, fearing that life in prison or death at the hands of the police would be unjust.
While on the run, Cavalcante changed his appearance, removing his facial hair to evade authorities. The manhunt reached a critical point when a homeowner reported firing seven shots at someone matching Cavalcante’s description, attempting to break into his home in East Nantmeal Township. Investigators found shoes believed to belong to Cavalcante in the vicinity. He was finally taken down by a police dog named Yoda while trying to crawl away through underbrush.
SWAT teams and hundreds of police officers searched the neighborhood after a helicopter spotted the escaped convict in South Coventry Township. A warning was issued to residents of South Coventry, West Vincent, and East Nantmeal townships, advising them to secure their homes and remain indoors.
Prior to his capture, Cavalcante had evaded authorities by fleeing to remote rural areas after allegedly killing Valtar Junior Moreira dos Reis in a public square in Brazil in 2017. Residents in the area where he hid recalled his reclusive nature and a reputation for possessing firearms.
Cavalcante arrived in the United States illegally in January 2018, seeking a new life. His mother claimed that he loved his life in the U.S., considering it his home, unaware of the impending legal consequences he would face.