Pennsylvania escapee likely ‘paranoid,’ former fugitive says
- Authorities report four sightings of Danelo Cavalcante since he escaped
- Officials tell people in search area: Keep all doors, windows locked
- 'He has one thing on his mind right now: escape,' former fugitive says
(NewsNation) — Seth Ferranti, who was once on the U.S. Marshals Most Wanted list, appeared Tuesday night on “Banfield” to help viewers gain insight into what Danelo Cavalcante may be dealing with as he evades authorities.
“I think he’s running on pure adrenaline. He’s got to be super desperate, super paranoid. Probably … willing to do anything because in his mind, his whole thing is, ‘I’m trying to escape. I’m trying to get out of here,'” Ferranti said.
Ferranti once led the U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted list for drug trafficking. Now, he is an acclaimed author, producer and filmmaker.
In the early 1990s, Ferranti faked death by suicide and went on the run before being caught two years later and sentenced to a 25-year sentence in federal prison.
Investigators are starting to uncover clues regarding the whereabouts of Cavalcante, a convicted murderer who escaped the Chester County Prison in Pocopson Township, Pennsylvania. Officials have reported four confirmed sightings of Cavalcante.
He was most recently spotted on surveillance cameras at Longwood Gardens twice Monday night, authorities said Tuesday.
The perimeter for the search has now shifted south after officials said Cavalcante likely slipped through the original perimeter. The search for the 34-year-old convicted murderer was previously narrowed down to a 2-mile radius, with the belief that he might be hiding in a wooded area near the prison where he escaped Thursday.
NewsNation learned Sunday that Cavalcante is the second person to escape from Chester County Prison this year, raising concerns about its security.
While investigators plan to address this issue, their immediate focus is to apprehend Cavalcante and return him to prison.
Police are utilizing a loudspeaker to broadcast a voice familiar to Cavalcante, aiming to draw him out.
“We’ve had the individual’s mother make a recording asking him to surrender peacefully,” said Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens. “It’s done in Spanish or Portuguese.”
Ferranti said Cavalcante will likely be impacted by hearing his mother’s voice; however, “he has one thing on his mind right now: escape.”
Police are urging residents living near the search area to keep all doors and windows locked, as they believe Cavalcante is growing more desperate and could become increasingly dangerous.
Dray Clark contributed to this report.