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39-428: The county prison drew national attention with the escape of inmate and Brazilian native Danilo Cavalcante on August 31, 2023. After a 14-day Manhunt by the authorities, Danilo Cavalcante was apprehended under a pile of wood near South Coventry Township, Pennsylvania , on September 13, 2023. The Chester County Prison was built in 1959 to replace the previous county jail, which was declared unsafe in 1951. The new prison

78-690: A SWAT team transported Cavalcante to the Pennsylvania State Police barracks in Avondale , where they interviewed him before transferring him to State Correctional Institution – Phoenix in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania , where he was held until November 2023, when he was transferred to State Correctional Institution - Greene , where he is currently incarcerated. Following Cavalcante's capture, local and state officials, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro , expressed gratitude towards

117-466: A 14-day manhunt for Cavalcante which ended on September 13, 2023. During the night of September 11, 2023, Cavalcante stole a .22 caliber rifle, and two days later was captured in South Coventry Township, 23 miles away from the prison Danilo Cavalcante Danilo Souza Cavalcante ( Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: [dɐˈnilu ˈsowzɐ kavawˈkɐ̃tʃi] ; born July 3, 1989) is

156-682: A Brazilian national accused of murder in the Brazilian state of Tocantins and a convicted murderer in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania . After originally being wanted by Brazilian authorities for his alleged role in the shooting death of Valter Júnior Moreira dos Reis in 2017, Cavalcante fled to the United States . Four years later, in April 2021, Cavalcante was arrested for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend, Deborah Brandão. On August 31, 2023, just days after being convicted and sentenced to life in prison for

195-575: A jury took just 15 minutes to reach a guilty verdict. Cavalcante was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on August 22. Following his conviction and sentencing, Cavalcante was sent to Chester County Prison in Pocopson Township , where he would await transfer to a federal prison. One week after sentencing, at around 9 a.m. on August 31, 2023, he escaped from Chester County Prison by chimneying (incorrectly called "crab walking" by media outlets) between two close walls in

234-541: A less secure section. He was found over three hours later in Pocopson Township, and was charged with escape, a felony in the third degree. On August 31, 2023, at 8:51   P.M. inmate Danilo Cavalcante escaped, using the same method as Bolte. Cavalcante was to be transferred to a state prison to serve his life sentence for murder. Hundreds of law enforcement officers, including US Marshals, SWAT personnel, and personnel from local, state, and federal agencies, conducted

273-570: A neighbor's house to alert them and call 911. Brandão was taken to Paoli Hospital , but would ultimately succumb to her injuries. Meanwhile, Cavalcante fled Pennsylvania to avoid arrest and was on the run for several hours until he was found and arrested by Virginia State Police in Prince William County, Virginia . Cavalcante was then extradited back to Pennsylvania. Cavalcante's trial began on August 16, 2023, in Chester County, where

312-484: A relationship with Deborah Brandão, also a Brazilian. According to investigations, Brandão ended her relationship with Cavalcante, which angered him. He then began threatening Brandão soon thereafter in 2020. On April 18, 2021, Deborah was in front of her house in Schuylkill Township with her 7-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son, when Cavalcante attacked her and stabbed her 38 times. Brandão's daughter then ran to

351-483: A shooting near an elementary school in South Coventry Township . Police found that Cavalcante broke into the garage of a home in the area. The homeowner discovered Cavalcante in his home and reportedly shot at him seven times, but Cavalcante was able to escape the house and steal a .22 rifle with a scope and a flashlight from the home. Police then discovered Cavalcante's sweatshirt and shoes in close proximity to

390-594: The FBI , and the DEA . The intense search continued until a major development took place on September 9, when Cavalcante appeared to have broken through the search perimeter at Longwood Gardens when he was spotted on a Ring video doorbell standing on the porch of a former co-worker's house in East Pikeland Township , near Phoenixville , nearly 20 miles northeast of the search perimeter. Cavalcante appeared to have shaven and

429-581: The National Register of Historic Places . According to the United States Census Bureau , the township has a total area of 8.9 square miles (23.0 km ), of which 8.6 square miles (22.2 km ) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.8 km ) (3.60%) is water. At the 2010 census, the township was 89.7% non-Hispanic White, 2.1% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 4.0% Asian, and 1.5% were two or more races. 2.6% of

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468-523: The Public Prosecutor's Office , issuing a warrant for him. Cavalcante, in turn, became a fugitive and hid in a wooded area to prevent his arrest. In January 2018, Cavalcante fled Brazil and illegally entered the United States via Puerto Rico . Although there was an arrest warrant against him, Cavalcante was able to leave the country through Brasília International Airport due to miscommunication on

507-594: The Chester County Prison Board, which oversees the Chester County Prison, received sharp criticism from residents of the area for failing to prevent Cavalcante's escape. Residents noted that the prison had the opportunity to make the appropriate security upgrades needed after the May 19 attempted escape of Igor Bolte, and that these upgrades could have potentially prevented Cavalcante from escaping, as he used

546-457: The area of the stolen van. That same day, Cavalcante's sister, Eleni Cavalcante, was arrested by ICE officials for "immigration issues". On September 11, as the search continued, Cavalcante was placed on the Interpol red list , and authorities upped the reward for information on Cavalcante's whereabouts from $ 20,000 to $ 25,000. That night, Cavalcante was sighted again, and a 911 call reported

585-399: The average family size was 2.98. In the township the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males. The median income for a household in

624-416: The day on September 12. At around 1:00 a.m. on September 13, a DEA plane with thermal imaging technology spotted Cavalcante in the woods. Despite the sighting, police were forced to wait until sunrise to approach because of inclement weather which hindered the surveillance plane from safely operating. At around 8:00 a.m. on the morning of September 13, police discovered Cavalcante sleeping with

663-416: The early morning of September 2, Cavalcante was spotted on a residential security camera crossing through the backyard of a home around 1.5 miles south of the prison. Police created a search perimeter around the area, securing roads and railroads that traveled through the area to prevent Cavalcante from potentially fleeing, and placed a $ 10,000 reward for any information leading to his capture. By September 4,

702-417: The exercise yard of the prison, making his way up to the roof and maneuvering around the razor wire fencing to escape the prison. A similar escape occurred at Chester County Prison just months earlier, when inmate Igor Bolte scaled the wall and escaped the prison, though he was apprehended within five minutes of his escape. Investigations that followed found that Cavalcante when executing his escape had used

741-507: The home. Once Cavalcante was confirmed to be armed, police urged residents in the area of South Coventry Township to lock all doors, windows and vehicles, and to shelter-in-place . All schools in the Owen J. Roberts School District would close for the next day. Police created a new search perimeter in South Coventry Township that was tighter than previous ones, as they were confident they now had Cavalcante surrounded. The search continued throughout

780-478: The manhunt, discussed the various challenges that law enforcement officers had to overcome to find Cavalcante, noting a heat wave and severe thunderstorms that took place in the area during the manhunt, along with the fact that each of the search perimeters created during the manhunt were in heavily wooded areas. Cavalcante was interviewed by police just after his capture, where he revealed that he survived on watermelon and creek water, only traveled at night, and even

819-480: The many law enforcement officers that assisted in the search for Cavalcante. Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan declared: "Today is a great day here in Chester County...Our nightmare is finally over, and the good guys won. We owe a debt of gratitude to all of the first responders for their tireless and dedicated efforts in bringing this fugitive to justice. They worked around the clock, and we are deeply grateful to all of them." Lt. Col. George Bivens, who led

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858-643: The murder of his ex-girlfriend, Cavalcante escaped from Chester County Prison , triggering a manhunt by police that would last 14 days and span across the Chester County area before his capture on September 13, 2023. The manhunt would receive significant media attention in both the United States and Brazil. Cavalcante was born on July 3, 1989, in the Brazilian state of Maranhão . Little is known about his early life, but Cavalcante ran into multiple legal issues in Brazil throughout his youth. In November 2017, Cavalcante

897-579: The part of the Tocantins justice system which had not requested the registration of the decision in the National Warrant Registry until seven months after the crime (i.e., in June 2018). After entering Puerto Rico, Cavalcante obtained a fake ID and eventually settled in Chester County , Pennsylvania , where his sister and friends were already living. While living in Chester County, Cavalcante began

936-592: The population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. As of the census of 2000, there were 6,960 people, 2,536 households, and 1,975 families living in the township. The population density was 812.2 inhabitants per square mile (313.6/km ). There were 2,652 housing units at an average density of 309.5 per square mile (119.5/km ). The racial makeup of the township was 94.83% White , 1.67% African American , 0.07% Native American , 2.49% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.36% from other races , and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of

975-408: The population. There were 2,536 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.2% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and

1014-404: The property, and Longwood Gardens, along with schools in close proximity to the search area, would close while the search took place. Police continued an intense search of the property for the rest of the week, and Longwood Gardens briefly reopened for limited-access until it was forced to evacuate and close again after another sighting on the property on September 7. On that same day, police upped

1053-427: The reward for information leading to his capture from $ 10,000 to $ 20,000. Pennsylvania State Police Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens, who led both the manhunt for Cavalcante and was a key figure in the 2014 manhunt for fugitive Eric Frein , said on September 8 that there were over 400 local, state, and federal agents searching for Cavalcante in the perimeter. Authorities involved included the U.S. Marshals Service ,

1092-436: The rifle he had stolen from a home two nights prior. Cavalcante attempted to flee by crawling in the thick underbrush, but a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol police-trained Belgian Malinois named Yoda subdued Cavalcante by biting him on the head and holding onto him until police arrived. Lt. Col. George Bivens said at a press conference Yoda caused minor injuries to Cavalcante's scalp during his capture. Following his capture,

1131-493: The roof and escape, along with other various security measures and upgrades being put in place. Schuylkill Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania Schuylkill Township is a township in Chester County , Pennsylvania , United States. It contains the village of Valley Forge . The population was 8,516 at the 2010 census. The Moses Coates Jr. Farm , Gen. Frederick Von Steuben Headquarters , Moore Hall , Matthias Pennypacker Farm , and White Horse Farm are listed on

1170-403: The same method Bolte used to escape. The prison had already fired the prison guard who was on-duty during Cavalcante's escape on September 7, with the prison claiming that the guard had the opportunity to spot Cavalcante as he was escaping. Days after Cavalcante's capture, Chester County Prison announced they had installed a metal roof over the area where Cavalcante shimmied up two walls to access

1209-417: The same method as Bolte. Once Cavalcante was confirmed to be missing, the prison was put on lockdown, and a manhunt ensued. Around an hour after his escape, he was spotted walking on a road around two miles west of the prison. Police would search this area, with multiple tips and potential sightings being reported by residents, with one homeowner claiming Cavalcante was in his house and even stole food. During

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1248-479: The search party had intensified in manpower, and helicopters flying over the search area began playing a recorded message of Cavalcante's mother, speaking in Portuguese , pleading Cavalcante to peacefully surrender to authorities. The next morning, Cavalcante was spotted on a trail camera on the property of Longwood Gardens , located about two miles south of the prison. Police moved set up a new perimeter centered around

1287-610: The township line. As of 2019, there were 56.79 miles (91.39 km) of public roads in Schuylkill Township, of which 15.60 miles (25.11 km) were maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and 41.19 miles (66.29 km) were maintained by the township. Pennsylvania Route 23 , Pennsylvania Route 29 , and Pennsylvania Route 113 are the numbered roads serving Schuylkill Township. PA 23 follows Valley Forge Road and Schuylkill Road along

1326-415: The township was $ 86,092, and the median income for a family was $ 97,032. Males had a median income of $ 68,370 versus $ 37,733 for females. The per capita income for the township was $ 43,379. About 1.9% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over. Phoenixville Area School District is the zoned school district of

1365-586: The township. There is an elementary school (Schuylkill Elementary) based in the township, but for secondary education, the students are transported to Phoenixville borough. Part of the University of Valley Forge 's campus, formerly the location of the Valley Forge General Hospital , is located in Schuylkill Township. The other part is located in Charlestown Township . The campus straddles

1404-482: Was accused of fatally shooting 20-year-old student Valter Júnior Moreira dos Reis five times on November 5 outside of a restaurant in the city of Figueirópolis , Tocantins , Brazil. Investigations indicated that they were friends, and the murder allegedly occurred due to a vehicle-repair debt that dos Reis owed him. One week after the crime, the Brazilian justice system accepted a request for preventive detention made by

1443-474: Was almost stepped on by a police officer at one point while hiding. Cavalcante had planned to steal a car and either drive to Canada or get to Puerto Rico . After he was returned to prison, Cavalcante was charged with 20 offences related to crimes committed during his escape and time on the run, including felony burglary, criminal trespass and theft. In August 2024, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison. Following Cavalcante's escape,

1482-503: Was designed to support medium and maximum security prisoners, with separate housing for male and female inmates, as well as juveniles. In 1983, parts of the prison were renovated and expanded. In 1993, a new Work Release Center was constructed on prison property. On May 19, 2019, at approximately 11:30   P.M. inmate Igor Bolte escaped Chester County prison. Igor Bolte was 3 months into his 23-month sentence for violating his probation when he scaled an exercise yard wall and climbed down to

1521-464: Was wearing a new set of clothes. Police found that Cavalcante stole a van owned by a local dairy store near Longwood Gardens and drove it to Phoenixville area. On the morning of September 10, at approximately 10:40 a.m., Cavalcante's stolen van was discovered abandoned and out of fuel in a field in East Nantmeal Township . The search perimeter shifted to another new location, this time in

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