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Officials promise improvements to Chester County Prison following Cavalcante manhunt
Prison officials on Wednesday fielded questions and concerns from townspeople who live in communities that involved in the search for a known killer. Acting Warden of Chester County Prison Howard Holland believe they still have to show the community that the prison system is taking steps to ensure an escape doesn't' happen again.
WEST CHESTER, Pa. - Neighbors from communities across Chester County packed a meeting Wednesday held by the county's board of prisons, nearly a week after the frantic manhunt for escaped killer Danelo Cavalcante came to an end.
Cavalcante, 34, was taken down by a swarm of law enforcement agents near a tractor supply business in the countryside town of South Coventry. Cavalcante freed himself from Chester County Prison on Aug. 31 by acrobatically climbing up the wall of a narrow corridor in a prison yard and onto the roof where he fled the prison grounds.
He eluded a search party that included hundreds of law enforcement agents by navigating the lush woods near Longwood Gardens for several days. Surviving on stream water and a stolen watermelon, Cavalcante eventually escaped the police search zone in a van he stole from a local dairy business and fled 20 miles north.
In the quaint map dot town of East Nantmeal, Cavalcante ditched the van with little to no gas left in the tank. He was soon spotted again by a driver who called police and sparked a massive response. With authorities on his trail, Cavalcante entered an unlocked garage and stole a .22 caliber rifle before he encountered a homeowner who opened fire, but missed as Cavalcante fled.
Spot where Danelo Cavalcante escaped onto prison roof covered with metal mesh, officials say
Officials from Chester County Prison shared photos of improvements that were made to areas where two inmates, including Danelo Cavalcante, managed to escape.
Police narrowed their search to the neighboring town of South Coventry, where days later a fixed wing aircraft picked up Cavalcante's heat signature and tracked him to a spot behind a tractor supply business. There, authorities closed in and used a K9 dog to arrest the fugitive.
Cavalcante's escape and manhunt did not come without fallout from those in charge of Chester County's Prison system. Days into the manhunt, prison officials announced that the veteran prison guard who was on duty when Cavalcante escaped had been fired.
Officials also shared photos of improvements made to shore up the area where Cavalcante escaped. Metal mesh now covers the area where he was able to climb onto the roof of the prison, and bushels of razor wire line the tops of the walls around the narrow hallway where Cavalcante climbed.
Prison officials on Wednesday fielded questions and concerns from townspeople who live in communities that involved in the search for a known killer. Acting Warden of Chester County Prison Howard Holland believe they still have to show the community that the prison system is taking steps to ensure an escape doesn't happen again.
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Danelo Cavalcante survived on stolen watermelon, stream water during manhunt: Marshals
While on the run, sources say Cavalcante used stream water and a stolen watermelon for nourishment. He traveled lightly, according to a authorities, carrying a backpack that authorities later found containing a razor that he used to shave and alter his appearance.
"I think we have a lot of ground to make up to show we're doing what we are supposed to be doing," Holland told FOX 29's Jeff Cole. "I don't know how we gain the faith we need and deserve after something like this."
The county says it will cap all eight prison yards to keep inmates within the prison walls. They're also planning to add cameras, tracking technology and more prison guards to fill over 50 vacant positions.
The board quickly approved $94k for planning and design of the prison improvements, and now must choose which project to tackle first.
"Anytime there's one point of failure that can cause an escape that needs to be addressed, technology will not take care of everything looming over us," Holland said.