Immigration officials have arrested the sister of an escaped murderer being hunted by Pennsylvania State Police. Eleni Cavalcante is the sister of convicted killer Danelo Cavalcante and is facing potential deportation due to “some immigration issues.” Police would not comment on whether she assisted her brother but said they were taking steps to eliminate the possibility that she might.
Cavalcante was convicted of murder in 2021 for killing his girlfriend, Deborah Brandao, whom he stabbed to death in front of her young child. According to police reports, he murdered her after she threatened to call law enforcement in Brazil, having learned he was wanted there for murder. Cavalcante is suspected of killing a man in his hometown, Figueiropolis, in 2017. It is believed he fled to the United States to avoid capture in his home country.
The escaped prisoner is an illegal immigrant and known gang member from Brazil who police describe as “extremely dangerous.” He escaped from prison only months after his conviction and has been on the run since August 2021.
A video of the prison escape shows Cavalcante climbing up the prison walls face to the ground with his hands on a wall in front of him and his feet on a separate wall behind. Some Twitter users described the escape as resembling a scene from a Spiderman movie.
Law enforcement officers surrounded Chester County prison and the local area, but Cavalcante managed to slip through. He later attempted to seek help from former colleagues, but neither were home when he called. One saw his image on his home security system and called the police, but they failed to apprehend him.
At a recent press conference in Pennsylvania, State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said he was concerned that Cavalcante would steal vehicles to continue to avoid capture and asked people to familiarize themselves with his appearance and report any sightings or vehicle thefts to police immediately.
