WEST CHESTER, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — Chester County Prison has started enacting upgraded security measures in the wake of the search for escaped convicted killer Danilo Cavalcante. Residents who were impacted by the two-week search addressed their concerns at a crowded town hall Monday night in West Chester.
Cavalcante was recaptured by Pennsylvania State Police on Sept. 13 in Pottstown, two weeks after he crab-walked over a wall of the prison and pushed through barbed wire fencing.
“It was exhausting and, frankly, terrifying,” said resident Victoria Wiedwald. She and many others filled the gym at Pocopson Elementary School, demanding answers to one underlying question: How could this have happened at all?
Acting warden Howard Holland publicly apologized to the packed room and said he was “shocked to his core” when he learned of the escape — on one of his first days on the job.
He said the prison is enforcing several precautionary measures, including adding more razor wires, specifically around where Calvacante crab-walked his way up and out; enclosing open-air yards; and enhancing technology, like the use of drones and additional cameras, with dedicated staff watching them at all times.
“We are going to take this facility and make it state of the art,” he assured.
As for why such a dangerous inmate was in Chester County Prison in the first place, Holland said he’d prefer to get those inmates out quicker, but per protocol, there is a 30-day period where most people are held after a conviction before being transferred to a state facility.
Cavalcante broke out of prison while awaiting transfer to a state prison to serve a life sentence for fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend in 2021. Prosecutors said he killed her to stop her from telling police he was wanted in Brazil for another homicide.
The search started in lower Chester County, near Longwood Gardens, which is not far from the prison. He eventually broke out of authorities’ search perimeter, stole a van and drove 30 miles north.
“We take responsibility for what happened here,” Holland added. “We take it seriously. Everybody was put in harm’s way. The biggest concern for me and everybody at the facility was somebody getting hurt.”
Fortunately, no one did. Although Cavalcante was armed near the end of the manhunt, no citizens or police officers were injured.
Residents also criticized the county’s reverse 911 alert system, ReadyChesCo, claiming some did not receive emergency messages during the manhunt. County officials said some calls were showing up as spam on people’s phones, but they’re working to fix the issue.
Another town hall will be held at the school on Wednesday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m.