The Capture and Escape of Danilo Cavalcante: A Tale of Humor, Manhunt, and Plans

Danilo Cavalcante, a convicted killer, escaped from a Pennsylvania prison by climbing through a corridor, diving through barbed wire, and bolting across the roof. He spent 13 days hiding among thick brush and surviving on watermelon before being captured near a tractor store about 18 miles from the prison. The manhunt disrupted the lives of local residents, who locked their doors and kept their lights on. Cavalcante had fled his native Brazil after a 2017 murder and went on the run again in Virginia after killing his ex-girlfriend. The FBI, DEA, and U.S. Border Patrol joined the search, which involved hundreds of law enforcement officers. Cavalcante was finally apprehended after being spotted on a residential surveillance camera and stealing a rifle. He planned to carjack someone and flee to Canada.