Brazilian Fugitive Eludes Authorities in Manhunt
Danelo Cavalcante, a Brazilian national convicted of murder in suburban Philadelphia, has managed to evade capture for over a week, despite an intense manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers. Cavalcante, who is also wanted in Brazil for another murder, managed to slip through the authorities’ perimeter in Chester County, Pennsylvania over the weekend and was last seen on a doorbell camera 25 miles away.
Cavalcante’s escape from Chester County Prison, which involved a crab-walking climb, has shocked many, and his evasion tactics have drawn comparisons to other notable fugitives in history. Eric Rudolph, a survivalist charged with the 1996 Olympic bombing and attacks on abortion clinics, managed to remain at large for five years by hiding in the Appalachian Mountains. Rudolph was finally arrested in 2003 and was given multiple life sentences in prison.
Another well-known fugitive, James “Whitey” Bulger, a notorious South Boston mobster and FBI informant, successfully evaded capture for 16 years before he was arrested in 2011. Bulger, who was sentenced for his involvement in the murders of 11 people, managed to stay elusive despite international searches and a $2 million reward for his capture. He was finally apprehended in California.
James Earl Ray, who assassinated civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968, spent over a month on the run after the crime. He traveled to several countries, including Canada and Portugal, before being caught by British officers at Heathrow Airport in London. Ray was later convicted and sentenced to 99 years in prison.
The manhunt for the Texas Seven, a group of inmates who escaped from a maximum-security unit in Texas in 2000, lasted for six weeks. The authorities received tips from local residents in Colorado, where several of the escapees were eventually arrested. The case gained significant media attention after being featured on the television show “America’s Most Wanted.”
Clayton Lee Waagner, who escaped from a county jail in Illinois in 2001, was on the run for about nine months. During his time as a fugitive, he claimed responsibility for sending threatening letters and packages to abortion clinics across the United States. Waagner was eventually captured after an employee at a photocopy store recognized him from a wanted poster.
While Cavalcante’s evasion and escape have captured public interest, law enforcement officials remain determined to bring him to justice. The manhunt continues, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.