Danelo Cavalcante evaded capture for two weeks on run by burying his faeces and surviving on watermelon
Escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante has revealed that he managed to evade capture for two weeks on the run by burying his own faeces and surviving on watermelon. Cavalcante escaped Chester County Prison in Pennsylvania back on 31 August after he was handed a life sentence for murdering his former girlfriend. It was not until almost two weeks later – on the morning of 13 September – that the escaped prisoner was finally back in handcuffs, after he was captured by a tactical team and police K-9 in a wooded area. Since his capture, investigators have now revealed that Cavalcante complied with their questions and told them various details about his time on the run from the police. Supervisory Deputy US Marshall Robert Clark, who conducted the manhunt that eventually led to his capture, spoke to NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo about the aftermath of his arrest. Mr Clark said that the fugitive was “brutally honest” about his two weeks evading capture from law enforcement and the measures he went to to survive and stay hidden. Various investigators, from US Marshalls, PA State police to county police, all wanted to interview him, but were unsure what to expect, he said. “We took a Brazilian law enforcement interpreter, and we asked if he wanted to talk and he did,” Mr Clark told NewsNation, saying that by Cavalcante agreeing, they were able to fill in the gaps in their investigation. According to Mr Clark, the fugitive said that, within the first three days, he didn’t move far from Chester County Prison. After that, Cavalcante said that he ate watermelon he stole from a farm, drank water from a stream and hid within dense thickets where, unless someone stepped on him, he would be able to remain hidden from sight. To cover his tracks, he would hide his faeces under leaves. There were several close calls with search teams, the fugitive also allegedly admitted. “He did say on three occasions law enforcement officers did almost step on him. They were about seven to eight yards away from him,” Mr Clark said. “We believe he was brutally honest. He described things such as hiding his faecal matter under leaves so that we couldn’t detect them.” The officers even asked how Cavalcante managed to change his appearance by becoming clean-shaven while on the run, questioning whether someone had helped him. His answer was simple: the backpack he was pictured with, held a single razor. The investigators and Mr Clark found Cavalcante’s story “credible” and “candid,” as he went into detail about how he moved out of the first perimeter by scoping out an area he could escape across. Cavalcante told officials that he noticed more and more of a law enforcement presence and became aware of aerial assets and helicopters. He apparently also told investigators about the vehicle he stole on 10 September, that police found abandoned in a field behind a barn 15 miles outside of Phoenixville. He also spoke about the stolen firearm, which he obtained after breaking into a resident’s garage, Mr Clark said. Had he not been captured – with the help of a K-9 that bit him on the top of his head – Cavalcante planned to flee the country. “He intended to carjack somebody in the community and head north to Canada, or either or try to get back to Puerto Rico. He said he was going to do that in the next 24 hours. And that was the reason he kept that firearm. He knew he needed a weapon in order to get a vehicle,” Mr Clark said. Cavalcante also told law enforcement that Mexico was on the list of possible places he may have fled to, according to Steve Keeley from Fox 29. “Cavalcante said his endgame was to carjack someone in next day because he noticed increasing aerial search helicopters & airplanes… He only moved at night, no days,” Mr Keeley said on X. Mr Keeley’s source also matched what Mr Clark said about the fugitive conducting his own surveillance during his escape, both of the perimeter around Longwood Gardens and on the house where he stole the firearm from. Mr Clark said his US Marshall colleagues described Cavalcante during the interview as “calm, cool, [and] didn’t have any attitude to him”. Cavalcante was finally caught when Pennsylvania officials closed in on him on Wednesday morning. He was crawling through heavy underbush trying to get away, but was stopped by a four-year-old K-9 called Yoda, who was dispatched to grab hold of him by biting him on his head. After he was captured, a large group of officers took a group photo with the criminal now back in handcuffs, something they have since come under fire for. Cavalcante was serving a life sentence in prison for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfiend Deborah Brandao. He is also wanted for a murder he committed in 2017 in Brazil. Read More Captured killer Danelo Cavalcante reveals how he survived on run as police under fire for group photo: Live Hundreds of police officers hunted for Danelo Cavalcante for two weeks. A dog secured his capture Pennsylvania fugitive Danelo Cavalcante is captured hiding under logs in shed two weeks after prison escape
2023-09-14 18:16
CEOs from Alphabet, Walmart, Pfizer meet White House officials on refugees
By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON Chief executives from a wide array of U.S. companies will meet White House Chief
2023-09-14 18:15
UNC lockdown updates: Horror as armed person waves gun at Chapel Hill bagel shop weeks after campus shooting
The University of North Carolina’s Chapel Hill campus was put on lockdown for the second time in two weeks after an armed person waved a gun inside a bagel shop. An alert was sent out at 12.54pm ET on Wednesday, asking students and staff to “go inside now” and to “avoid windows” because of the threat “on or near campus”. An all-clear alert was put out at 2.10pm. An official told The Daily Tar Heel that the incident came when the suspect allegedly brandished a gun at Alpine Bagel over an employment-related conflict. No shots were fired and police said that suspect Mickel Deonte Harris, 27, was arrested at around 2.45pm just north of the campus. This marks the second terrifying incident at the school in just over two weeks. On 28 August, the campus was on lockdown for hours amid reports of an “armed and dangerous person”. That person was identified as Tailei Qi, a 34-year-old graduate student who allegedly shot and killed Zijie Yan, an associate professor in the Department of Applied Physical Sciences. Read More UNC campus on lockdown over ‘armed and dangerous person’ two weeks after shooting Students criticize the University of North Carolina's response to an active shooter emergency Audio reveals 911 caller in University of North Carolina shooting immediately identified a suspect Who was UNC Chapel Hill shooting victim Zijie Yan?
2023-09-14 17:49
Biden campaign plots long-game strategy as Democrats' fears of a Trump win spike
President Joe Biden's aides privately acknowledge a rematch with Donald Trump in 2024 could be his best path to reelection, but they are terrified by what would happen if he lost -- which operatives on his campaign and throughout the Democratic Party worry is a very real possibility.
2023-09-14 17:29
Biden to address budget cuts, government shutdown in Thursday speech
By Nandita Bose WASHINGTON U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday will address the impact of federal budget cuts
2023-09-14 17:29
Feds spread $1 billion for tree plantings among US cities to reduce extreme heat and benefit health
Hundreds of communities around the country will share more than $1 billion in federal money to help them plant and maintain trees under a federal program that is intended to reduce extreme heat, benefit health and improve access to nature
2023-09-14 17:28
House Republicans wrestle with key decisions as they plot next steps on impeachment inquiry
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy unilaterally gave his conference the green light to launch an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Now the harder work begins.
2023-09-14 17:28
Chelsea consider January move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney
Chelsea are exploring a potential January move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney.
2023-09-14 17:28
Liverpool and Man Utd use international window to scout defensive prospects
Liverpool and Manchester United use the international break to scout Benfica's Antonio Silva and Atalanta's Giorgio Scalvini.
2023-09-14 17:24
China says EU probe into Chinese electric vehicle exports, subsidies is protectionist
China's Commerce Ministry has protested a decision by the European Union to investigate exports of Chinese electric vehicles, saying it is a protectionist action aimed at distorting the supply chain
2023-09-14 17:20
Indonesia asks China's Geely to help build homegrown EV by 2026
JAKARTA Indonesia has asked Chinese carmaker Geely Automotive Holdings to help it build a homegrown electric car by
2023-09-14 17:20
China is huge for chip designer Arm. That's a risk for its new investors
As British chip designer Arm prepares to raise about $5 billion in an initial public offering (IPO) on Thursday, its China business has become a serious point of concern.
2023-09-14 17:18
