Pennsylvania resident revisits harrowing moment escaped murderer broke into home: 'Like living in a movie'

Chester County resident Ryan Drummond said escaped killer Danelo Cavalcante broke into his house for a 'sustenance run'

Chester County resident recounts moment escaped prisoner broke into home: 'Like living in a movie'

Chester County, Pennsylvania resident Ryan Drummond tells 'Fox & Friends' about his encounter with escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante.

Chester County, Pennsylvania resident Ryan Drummond said 34-year-old escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante's arraignment will bring his family "much-needed relief" after a close run-in with the convicted killer in his home.

"I heard a noise. I looked for something to defend myself. The only thing I could grab was a picture frame of my wife and kids, which didn't seem like the best plan," Drummond told Fox News on Wednesday, describing how Cavalcante entered his home Friday night. 

"I flicked the lights on and off, and then he flicked the lights back. And that was the moment where my wife was already on with 911, but I was like, 'He's downstairs. Call 911 right now.' So it was a scary moment."

CONVICTED KILLER DANELO CAVALCANTE CAPTURED IN PENNSYLVANIA NEARLY 2 WEEKS AFTER PRISON ESCAPE

pennsylvania resident revisits harrowing moment escaped murderer broke into home like living in a movie

Danelo Cavalcante was captured alive Wednesday morning without a single shot fired, officials said. (WTXF)

Drummond said the break-in was a "sustenance run" for Cavalcante, who grabbed a peach, an apple, and more before fleeing again. The only way the family knew he had taken anything, he said, was when they noticed the produce they purchased from the farmer's market earlier that day had gone missing.

"Then he walked out and, after he flicked the light switch back, I wasn't sure if he was going to be coming upstairs or not," he continued. 

"That was the main thing I needed him to know – I know you're downstairs… for whatever it was, that's how it went down, and I'm happy that my family is safe."

PENNSYLVANIA PRISONER MANHUNT: DETAILS OF DANELO CAVALCANTE'S ESCAPE EMERGE

pennsylvania resident revisits harrowing moment escaped murderer broke into home like living in a movie

Escaped convict Danelo Cavalcante was captured alive Wednesday morning in Chester County, Pa. (Pennsylvania State Police)

Drummond's house is a few miles from the Chester County Prison that Cavalcante escaped from last Thursday, but he estimates police took him into custody Wednesday at a location approximately 30-40 minutes from his house.

Before being taken into custody, Cavalcante was also spotted at Drummond's neighbor's house.

"This, to me, felt like we were living in a movie," he said of the days-long terror. "After it happened, there was still SWAT presence, and we believe that they had him pinned down, basically kind of in our common backyard. There's a wooded area, so it wasn't like the one moment and then it was over. There was that continual presence where you see the SWAT team coming through the backyard. That was my backyard. That was their interface."

PENNSYLVANIA AUTHORITIES REVEAL SURVEILLANCE VIDEO OF KILLER'S PRISON ESCAPE AS MANHUNT APPROACHES SECOND WEEK

pennsylvania resident revisits harrowing moment escaped murderer broke into home like living in a movie

Images of escaped convict Danelo Cavalcante show him clean-shaven. (Pennsylvania State Police)

Police announced Wednesday morning that Cavalcante had been captured after eluding authorities for nearly two weeks.

A law enforcement source told Fox News he was captured near the home where he stole a .22-caliber rifle with a mounted scope and flashlight from a garage on Monday.

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Fox News' Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

Taylor Penley is an associate editor with Fox News.

Authored by Taylor Penley via FoxNews September 13th 2023