Danelo Cavalcante, the captured killer who sparked a two-week manhunt after breaking out of prison, is now being held in a maximum security facility in Pennsylvania.
The 34-year-old was booked at SCI Phoenix in Montgomery County on Wednesday, just hours after K-9 units discovered him hiding under a woodpile, approximately 20 miles away from the Chester County Prison where he had escaped from on August 31st.
Cavalcante, who had recently been sentenced to life in prison for stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death in front of her children, now faces additional charges for his prison break. Prosecutors are expected to file further charges, including burglary and theft, as Cavalcante is suspected of stealing clothes and supplies during his 14 days on the run. There are also allegations that he broke into a suburban home and stole a .22 caliber rifle.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for September 27th, and Cavalcante has been denied bail. He will remain at SCI Phoenix, a state-of-the-art facility that can house up to 3,830 prisoners within its 1.5-mile perimeter. The prison, which cost $400 million to build and opened in 2018, is one of two state prisons in Pennsylvania that house inmates on death row.
If Cavalcante is put to work, he may be assigned to the prison's shoe factory, garment factory, or laundry cleaning duties. However, the prison has faced criticism for its highly restrictive procedures, including limited telephone access and restrictions on returning to the yard after using the bathroom.
While serious escape attempts at SCI Phoenix have been rare, there have been instances in the past. The Department of Corrections lists only one escape attempt, involving a sexual predator who jumped from a prison roof but was immediately apprehended upon impact.
Notable inmates who have been held at SCI Phoenix include comedian Bill Cosby, who was housed there until his sexual assault conviction was overturned in 2021.
Cavalcante's capture on Wednesday morning was not without incident. He was left bloodied after attempting to escape a Belgian Malinois K-9 named Yoda, who bit him and pinned him to the ground. However, officers were able to apprehend Cavalcante without firing a single shot, and even took a group photo with their catch.
In addition to the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Cavalcante is also suspected of fatally shooting a friend six times in 2017 during a dispute over car repair payments in his hometown in Brazil. After the killing, Cavalcante evaded authorities by hiding in the Brazilian ranchlands for weeks before illegally entering the United States and making his way north.
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