Danilo Cavalcante

Source: Convicted killer β€” who escaped prison and spent weeks on the lam β€” expected to plead guilty

Danilo Cavalcante, a convicted murderer who brazenly escaped from Chester County prison and spent two weeks on the run, is expected to plead guilty in court on Friday, according to a source close to the case

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A convicted killer, who escaped from a Chester County prison and led law enforcement officials on a two-week long manhunt last year, is expected to plead guilty to the charges he faces during a court proceeding on Friday.

Court documents note that Danilo Cavalcante, 35, of Waynesburg, is scheduled for trial on Friday.

However, a statement from a representative of the Chester County courts said that trial may not happen and instead, he may enter a guilty plea.

Also, a source close to the investigation told NBC10 that Cavalcante is expected to plead guilty, as well.

Contacted Thursday morning, an attorney for Cavalcante did not immediately return a call for comment.

The state's Attorney General's office also did not respond immediately when contacted about this case.

Who is Danilo Cavalcante?

Cavalcante is facing charges of burglary, theft and other offenses after he broke out of Chester County Prison on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023, and led law enforcement on a manhunt that lasted until Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023.

Over the course of 14 days, Cavalcante -- a Brazilian man who fluently speaks Portuguese, Spanish and some English and stands around 5 feet tall and weighs around 120 pounds -- led police on a getaway route that zig-zagged through Chester County.

He was eventually apprehended after being discovered hiding on a property in South Coventry Township.

According to court records, Cavalcante was in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder of stabbing and killing his ex-girlfriend Deborah Brandao in front of her children in April 2021.

He was sentenced to life in prison without the chance for parole shortly before his escape.

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