Danilo Cavalcante, a convicted killer who escaped from a Chester County lockup while awaiting transfer to state prison, pleaded guilty to escape and burglary charges and was sentenced to 15 to 30 years in addition to his life sentence without parole for killing his ex-girlfriend. Cavalcante climbed over razor wire and jumped from a roof to escape. He was captured after two weeks on the run by searchers who used thermal imaging from a plane and K-9 search dogs. During his escape, Cavalcante stole food, clothing, and a truck from a dairy farm, and was caught stealing a rifle in a homeowner’s garage. He survived by taking items from people’s homes, causing fear among Chester County residents.
Cavalcante, a native of Brazil, admitted in court, through an interpreter, that his education ended in fourth grade. The judge advised him to make something positive out of his life, even in prison, by potentially becoming a mentor to others. His defense lawyer stated that Cavalcante quickly agreed to plead guilty to the charges. The escape caused panic in the Philadelphia region, with many people living in fear of the fugitive.
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