'I've been on high alert': As hunt for prison escapee rolls into 7th day, community on edge
Robert Buffum's quiet neighborhood has been swarming with law enforcement over the last few days.
The 48-year-old father of five hears the constant hum of circling helicopters. He passes multiple police checkpoints on short drives around Kennett Township, a small town in southeast Pennsylvania.
The daily routines of Buffum and thousands of others have been disturbed by Danelo Cavalcante — a convicted killer who escaped from the Chester County Prison last week — and the search to find him. Chester County residents remain on edge as the massive manhunt for Cavalcante, 34, continues into its seventh day.
Hundreds of law enforcement officers from local, state and federal agencies using helicopters, drones and dogs have centered their efforts on a perimeter a few miles south of the prison in hopes to force the fugitive into a mistake as he grows more tired, hungry and desperate.
Cavalcante, 34, made his way out of the Chester County Prison, about 25 miles west of Philadelphia, last Thursday morning just days after he was sentenced to life in prison without parole for brutally stabbing his ex-girlfriend Deborah Brandao to death in front of her two children. He escaped while waiting to be moved to a state prison.
'For my children especially, I'm very concerned'
Chester County's Unionville-Chadds Ford School District and the Kennett Consolidated School District extended schools closures from Tuesday into Wednesday.
"This is a difficult scenario to navigate and we appreciate your patience as we try to keep up with events as they unfold," read a statement from John Sanville, superintendent of the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. "Please know that our desire is to bring students into school - but we must weigh that against the circumstances and logistics that we face in the interest of the safety of our students and community."
Four of Buffum’s five children, ages 1 to 8, attend schools well within the current search perimeter. They stayed home Tuesday and Wednesday.
Buffum has made a habit of checking on his friends and neighbors and has begun to make frequent patrols around his property. He also put up security cameras around his house and has been monitoring them constantly over the last few days.
“For my children especially, I'm very concerned,” he said. “I don't want him to get into my house. I've been on high alert since he got out.”
Where are police searching for Cavalcante?
Police initially set up a perimeter around Pocopson Township, a residential neighborhood near the Chester County Prison, where Cavalcante had been spotted multiple times over Labor Day weekend. Officials on Tuesday shifted the perimeter south after a trail camera spotted Cavalcante on Monday night at Longwood Gardens, a popular botanical garden usually bustling with locals and tourists that was also closed on Wednesday because of the search.
Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said during a news conference Tuesday that Cavalcante's recent movement was a positive development because he is "feeling the pressure" and is running out of options.
"You’re dealing with someone who is desperate and doesn’t want to be caught,” Bivens said. “If he can find some shelter, if he can find some food, he’s going to take advantage of whatever he finds.”
Residents warned to keep homes, cars locked and be vigilant
He encouraged local residents in the area to keep their home and cars locked since Cavalcante is likely looking for supplies and food. Bivens also asked that people check their home surveillance cameras and check on their neighbors while Cavalcante, who is considered extremely dangerous, is still on the run.
From speakers in cars and helicopters, authorities have blasted a recording they obtained from Cavalcante’s mother in Portuguese, asking her son “to surrender peacefully.”
Authorities are also offering a $10,000 reward for any information that could lead to his capture.