Cavalcante slips perimeter

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on September 10, 2023

Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens, backed by representatives of federal and county law enforcement, addresses the press hours after learning Danleo Cavalcante had slipped through the perimeter of the search area around Longwood Gardens.

Convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante eluded a police manhunt by somehow slipping through the search perimeter around Longwood Gardens, and then making his way to Phoenixville Saturday night in a stolen truck. According to state police Lt. Col. George Bivens, he tried to contact acquaintances in the Phoenixville and East Pikeland area but failed in the process. However, he remains at large.

Early Sunday morning press releases said Cavalcante stole a truck from Bailys Dairy in Pocopson sometime Saturday night. Bivens confirmed the theft and said the vehicle was unlocked and the keys were inside. He added that he believed the truck was later abandoned because it was low on fuel. Bivens also believes the escapee is still in that area.

Bailys Dairy is approximately three-quarters of a mile from the original perimeter near Longwood Gardens, but the theft was not known right away.

“The theft was not known until PSP canvassed the area looking for a possible stolen vehicle after a report of Cavalcante being sighted in the East Pikeland [Phoenixville] area,” Bivens said. “It was determined that Cavalcante used the van to travel to that area.”

While in the northern part of the county, Cavalcante tried to reach two former co-workers. At the first home, the individual didn’t answer the door. However, Cavalocante tried to talk with the person via the video doorbell, saying he wanted to meet with him, Bivens said.

“The individual was at dinner with his family and did not respond, and Cavalcante left,” Bivens said. “The homeowner eventually returned home, reviewed the doorbell recording, and called local police.”

He continued to say that PSP was not contacted about that phone call until after midnight. “This was our first indication that Cavalcante had been able to travel from the area of Longwood Gardens.”

Photos from a doorbell camera show Cavalcante with his altered appearance. The photos are from the home of the first person Cavalcante tried to contact at 9:52 p.m. He had managed to obtain some clothes —a green hoody in the stolen truck, and a baseball cap — and had somehow found a razor to shave and further alter his appearance.

Cavalcante, who was sentenced to life in prison for murdering his girlfriend, made it to the home of another associate at 10:07 p.m.

“That associate was not home,” Bivens said, “but a female resident observed Cavalcante and called her friend. That friend responded to the resident and eventually placed a call to local police.”

That’s when PSP learned about Cavalcante possibly driving a white vehicle. That was at 2:30 a.m. At 5:20 a.m., they identified the vehicle as the stolen truck. They eventually found it in a field in East Nantmeal Township at 10:40 a.m.

“Investigators have been searching that area since that time,” Bivens said. “We’re very concerned that Cavalcante has or will attempt to steal another vehicle to facilitate his escape.”

“I know this is an extremely stressful time for the community. I assure you we are doing everything possible to bring this to a successful resolution as quickly as possible.”

Bivens, the deputy commissioner of operations for the state police, could not say for certain exactly how Cavalcante slipped through the perimeter that police had said was secure.

“No perimeter is ever 100 percent secure ever…I’m not going to make any excuses. I wish this had not happened. Unfortunately, there are a lot of circumstances, a lot of issues associated with that property.”

The heavily wooded area in and around Longwood contains a lot of drainage ditches and tunnels “things that that couldn’t have been secured” that Cavalcante could have used to break out of the containment area.

He added that they won’t know for sure how Cavalcante got by the perimeter until he is safely captured, and interviewed, and then tells how he managed to evade capture and flee the Longwood zone.

Prior to Cavalcante breaking through, Bivens was already going to increase the number of personnel involved in the manhunt from 400 to 600.

Cavalcante escaped from Chester County Prison on Thursday, Aug. 31 by crab-walking up two walls in the exercise area. While police want to recapture him without incident, Bivens said last week that deadly force is authorized if he does not surrender peacefully.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.