Danelo Cavalcante: Captured US jail fugitive planned to flee to Canada

Cavalcante was captured early on Wednesday before he could flee to Canada

Escaped Pennsylvania killer Danelo Cavalcante was planning to flee to Canada before he was captured on Wednesday, authorities say.

The 34-year-old, who was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend, reportedly told law enforcement he was going to carjack someone and head north.

He also reportedly said some of the 500 officers hunting for him came so close at times they almost stepped on him.

A law enforcement dog caught Cavalcante crawling through thick underbrush.

Authorities initially thought he might try to return to his home country of Brazil, where he is wanted for another murder.

But Cavalcante had other ideas, he told authorities after he was caught.

Supervisory deputy US Marshal Robert Clark told ABC News: "He stated he intended to carjack somebody in the next 24 hours and that he was going to head north to Canada."

Cavalcante also told authorities they had been so close to catching him that at times they nearly "stepped on him, [that] we were only five or six feet away", Mr Clark said.

Chief Chester County Detective David Sassa told CNN: "He told us at some points, the tactical teams walked past him."

Mr Sassa said Cavalcante had told investigators at some points "he stayed still for a day, a day and a half".

Cavalcante reportedly said he was able to stay shaven from a razor in a backpack he picked up.

He was also quoted as telling authorities he had survived by drinking stream water and eating some watermelon he found at a farm.

The manhunt came to an end thanks to the use of heat technology and a four-year-old Belgian Malinois named Yoda from a Customs and Border Protection team.

Yoda "subdued" Cavalcante as he tried to make his getaway, leaving him with a "minor bite wound".

Four-year-old Yoda helped capture Cavalcante

Cavalcante was awaiting transfer to another facility when he escaped Chester County Prison on 31 August by "crab walking" up two prison walls.

The 5ft fugitive managed to elude at least six law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, US Marshals and US Border Patrol, for two weeks.

Cavalcante was sentenced last month to life without parole for stabbing to death his ex-girlfriend, Brazilian national Deborah Brandao, in front of her two young children.

He is due to be transferred to the state correctional facility where he will serve out his life sentence.

He has also been charged with felony escape.