Watch: Convicted murderer ‘crab walks’ up prison wall in daring escape

Danelo Cavalcante, jailed for fatally stabbing an ex-girlfriend, managed to flee despite another inmate previously escaping in a similar way

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A convicted murderer made a daring escape from prison by “crab-walking” up the side of a building before bolting across its roof and barbed wire.

Danelo Cavalcante, 34, broke out of the prison, in West Chester, Pennsylvania, on Aug 31  where he had been incarerated for stabbing an ex-girlfriend to death in front of her two small children.

Officers are said to have been taken off guard at the time of his departure, despite a similar escape method being used by another inmate earlier this year.

One positioned in a guard tower overlooking the exercise yard, where the escape occurred, “did not observe nor report the escape”.

Howard Holland, warden at Chester County Prison, said during a news conference that this was a “key part” of an ongoing internal investigation.

For now, security at the facility is being increased, with extra barbed wire and an officer will be positioned in the yard alongside the inmates.

Search enters seventh day

Brazil-born Cavalcante began his escape at around 8.30am when he and other prisoners entered the yard.

Just 20 minutes later he had managed to “crab-walk” the wall, putting his feet on one wall of a narrow corridor and his hands on the facing wall, before “walking” up with his body horizontal to the ground.

According to Mr Holland, he then ran across the roof, pushing through sheets of barbed wire in his path before climbing another wall and passing through more barbed wire.

Cavalcante’s absence was noted at 9.45am, prompting officers to launch a special count that confirmed his disappearance.

Igor Bolte, another prisoner, broke out of the Chester County Prison in a similar way in May but was detained almost immediately.

The search for Cavalcante entered its seventh day on Wednesday.

Officials are offering a $10,000 (£8,000) reward for any information leading to his arrest.

Hiding in undergrowth

It is thought that he is moving at night, while during daylight hours he has been hiding in thick undergrowth, which officers have been forced to hack through by hand.

The FBI is assisting more than 200 officers in the hunt, Lt Col George Bivens, of the state police, said on Tuesday.

Officials are using thermal technology, drones and dogs to aid the search, as well as an audio message recorded by Cavalcante’s mother urging him to surrender.

Locals have been urged to lock their doors and windows and remain vigilant.

Cavalcante was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of stabbing his ex-girlfriend Deborah Brandao to death in April 2021.

Cavalcante has an open warrant for a 2017 murder that took place in Brazil, his native country.