CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. — It was an emotional day in Chester County on Wednesday.
“I felt sorry for his family, I felt sorry for the police and thankful and glad that they got him," said Bernadette McCollum-Madden of West Grove.
She and thousands of other Chester County residents were able to breathe a sigh of relief, as escaped prisoner and convicted murderer, Danelo Cavalcante, was finally taken into police custody.
“My wife was very emotional, she started crying," said Jim Rowland of West Grove. "[I think] it was built up, pent-up emotions kind of thing.”
“In a way, it’s a happy day he’s gone from us and I feel sorry for his mother," added McCollum-Madden. "She was put through this and something went wrong with him, that’s all I think of”
Dozens gathered at the Pennsylvania State Police Avondale barracks in London Grove Township on Wednesday, watching as Cavalcante was brought in for questioning.
“Just empathizing with all those that have gone through this with what they had to go through, disrupting everyone’s lives and we just thought we’d come here to see part of the closure," said Rowland.
Communities across Chester County lived in fear over the last two weeks, as the fugitive evaded police and remained on the loose.
“Certainly there’s relief for everybody right," said Dale Breen of Longwood. "We didn’t know what he was going to do.”
Onlookers cheered as he was brought back out of the police barracks Wednesday afternoon, bringing the dramatic manhunt to an end.
“Very emotional but good things have come out of it so that’s what’s important," said McCollum-Madden.
Cavalcante was transported from the Avondale barracks to a state correctional facility, where he will begin his life sentence for the 2021 murder of his ex-girlfriend.
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