Business owners, residents ready for normalcy after capture of escaped convict in Chester Co.
The manhunt also forced the closures of businesses and schools in the impacted areas.
SOUTH COVENTRY TWP., Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Residents in northern Chester County are ready for life to return to normal after the search for Danelo Cavalcante came to an end Wednesday morning.
Cavalcante was found hiding in the woods behind Little's John Deere off Route 100 in South Coventry Township. He had been on the run for 14 days after escaping the Chester County Prison on August 31.
READ | How police captured escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante in Chester County, Pa.
Since then, Cavalcante had been hiding throughout the county by breaking into homes, stealing whatever items he could, and changing his appearance.
The whole ordeal has left residents anxious, and everyone is relieved the manhunt is over.
"Relief. Knowing that everyone was safe, everyone involved," said Maxine Strunk from Phoenixville.
"It's just been a painstaking event for everyone," said Maryanne Yackel, who was there when police captured the convicted murderer. "They were putting him into the van and they drove him away."
RELATED | Residents relieved after escaped murder convict is captured in Chester County
The search for Cavalcante spanned several areas of the county, from Pocopson and East Marlborough townships to Phoenixville, to South Coventry Township, where he was ultimately recaptured.
"It's good to feel safe again," said resident Isaiah Rock.
"It's good to know that he's captured because we weren't really allowed to leave the house or anything. We couldn't go anywhere because we use Route 100 to go everywhere," added resident Ana Belen Guerin from Chester Springs.
The manhunt also forced the closures of businesses and schools in the impacted areas.
Officials with the Owen J. Roberts School District canceled classes on Tuesday and Wednesday as the manhunt moved to northern Chester County.
Superintendent Dr. Will Stout told Action News he returned to the high school on Wednesday afternoon. Law enforcement had been staging in the parking lot there for the past two days.
"In my mind, I was thinking, 'He was within a half mile of this campus,'" Dr. Stout said. "So, yes, it was very unsettling, and we were extremely grateful to law enforcement when he was captured earlier today."
Dr. Stout said schools in his district will reopen on Thursday. He said the district is working with the state's Department of Education in order to determine how they handle the two days they were forced to close.
He also provided a list of helpful resources online for parents and students to use while navigating this difficult situation.
Giuseppe Gatto, the owner of Bravo Pizza in Pughtown, was able to reopen his restaurant on Wednesday morning. He closed Tuesday after his business on Route 100 suddenly became part of the search perimeter.
"I feel relieved everything's back to normal. I can open my business. Relieved for everyone's safety, for my customers," Gatto said.
Cherilyn Kerchner said she lives two miles away from where Cavalcante was found.
She said she is thankful no one was hurt in the manhunt.
"It was a hard couple of days, and we weren't even in the middle of it," Kerchner said. "I can't imagine the men and women who were in the fields trying to find him and not knowing any minute what could happen. It had to be nerve-wracking."
Perhaps the family most relieved by the end of the manhunt is the Brandao family.
Cavalcante received a life sentence in Pennsylvania in August for killing his ex-girlfriend, Deborah Brandao, in front of her children in 2021. Prosecutors say he murdered her to stop her from telling police he was wanted in the Brazil killing. He had been arrested in Virginia after Brandao's killing, and authorities say they believe he was trying to return to Brazil.
On Wednesday, the victim's sister, Sarah Brandao, posted a message to Facebook stating the family's relief.
"The past two weeks have been extremely painful and terrifying... as it brought back all the feelings from losing my sister and he thought of the perpetrator hurting us again," the post read.
Many say they were terrified upon realizing how close Cavalcante was to their homes.
Jonathan Draham lived down the street from the home where doorbell camera footage was taken on Saturday night.
Since that moment the manhunt took on a whole new meaning for his friends and family.
"We knew escaped, but once it became that close in proximity, it was a totally different feeling. It was almost an eerie feeling," he recalled.
Now, with Cavalcante back behind bars, neighbors are ready to get a sense of peace back to their community.
"Very at ease now. We're at peace. We're tired of looking over our shoulders," said Allie Belcher from Phoenixville.
Many also wanted to thank law enforcement officers for their tireless efforts in capturing Cavalcante.
"I know a lot of friends that are police officers so I was actually really concerned for their safety. We checked in on them as much as we could but they were really not able to talk," noted Emily Roseo from Spring City.
