Danelo Cavalcante prison escape: Longwood Gardens closed again until further notice
UPDATE: Search for escaped Chester County prisoner Danelo Cavalcante focused on area near Longwood Gardens
CHADDS FORD, Pa. (CBS) -- Police swarmed Longwood Gardens on Thursday night as they searched for escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante for the eighth day.
A spokesperson for Longwood Gardens says they evacuated guests and told tenants to shelter in place. The garden will remain closed until further notice.
Pennsylvania State Police said during a news conference that there was a possible sighting of Cavalcante near Longwood Gardens before 12 p.m. Thursday.
State Police say they diverted a number of troopers to that location. Cavalcante was spotted on a trail camera back on Monday at Longwood Gardens.
Cavalcante has successfully eluded hundreds of officers for a full week after climbing out of a prison exercise yard last Thursday morning. Surveillance video released Wednesday shows the Cavalcante climbing onto the roof of the prison while his block was out in the exercise yard.
The perimeter now includes the westernmost parts of Delaware County. The area is bounded by Route 926 to the north, Route 52 to the west and stretches just across the Brandywine Creek and into Chadds Ford to the east.
The search area in southern Chester County is between eight and 10 square miles, which is about six times the size of the entire borough of West Chester. Police say their operation is sophisticated and well-staffed in pursuit of the convicted murderer.
Investigators say the heat is not having much of an effect on the performance of infrared technology that's being used to try and spot Cavalcante.
Police say Cavalcante's level of possible desperation makes him no more dangerous than when he was apprehended two years ago for the murder of his former girlfriend.
"I believe he becomes more desperate, I believe he has always been very dangerous and I've said that from the start. He's already murdered two people – one in Brazil and one here in a very brutal manner. He's a very dangerous individual and he remains so," Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said.
Police say the items Cavalcante has on him -- a backpack and duffel bag -- are possibly from the burglaries of a handful of homes in the area. They haven't been able to conclusively link those break-ins to him.
One day after Cavalcante escaped from prison, his public defender filed a motion seeking a new trial or a new sentence, documents show.
Attorneys for Cavalcante argued there was insufficient evidence presented at trial for a first-degree murder conviction.
A jury quickly convicted the escaped murderer last month after his former girlfriend's own daughter took the witness stand relaying an eyewitness account that he had stabbed her three dozen times.
Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan, who prosecuted the case, was emotional in describing the trial at a press conference Thursday.
"You know I was the prosecutor assigned to this case and I convicted this man and he was sentenced to life without parole, we're all upset," Ryan said.
Judge Patrick Carmody quickly denied the requests for a new trial and sentencing. He said what Cavalcante did was one of the most horrific homicides the court has witnessed.
Carmody wrote Cavalcante made a now 9-year-old relive her mother's murder by testifying and that Cavalcante showed a lack of remorse and only upon the court's prodding did he say he was sorry.
Cavalcante's ex-girlfriend's sister spoke to CNN in Portuguese. She says she has been taking care of her sister's children ever since her death and she is worried he may come after her. She says she hasn't slept in days.
Investigators even used helicopters to loudly broadcast a message from his mother in Portuguese to peacefully surrender.
There was a confirmed sighting Tuesday night on Chandler Road in Pennsbury Township, which led police to expand the perimeter. A federal law enforcement source told CBS News Philadelphia's Joe Holden there were no confirmed sightings of Cavalcante captured on video overnight.
Helicopters are circling the area and the perimeter is patrolled by hundreds of law enforcement officers.
Schools in Kennett Square and Pocopson that were previously in the search area have reopened as the area shifted.
Acting Chester County Prison warden Howard Holland said there are now proposals to enclose the exercise yards after Cavalcante's escape. Months before, another inmate, Igor Bolte, escaped in the same way, officials said Wednesday.
Police say they will not stand down until he is captured.
