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Slain woman’s sister says Pennsylvania fugitive transformed from a kind neighbor into a jealous and threatening boyfriend | CNN

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Slain woman’s sister says Pennsylvania fugitive transformed from a kind neighbor into a jealous and threatening boyfriend | CNN




CNN
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Before he brutally killed his ex-girlfriend in front of her children two years ago in Pennsylvania, Danelo Souza Cavalcante seemed like a positive match – a fellow Brazilian who was a good neighbor and kind – the slain woman’s sister says.

But Cavalcante, now the subject of a manhunt after he escaped from a Pennsylvania prison last week, seemed to transform over time, eventually exuding jealousy and threatening Deborah Brandão before her death, her sister told CNN.

Now the sister, Sarah Brandão, who lived near both of them and is taking care of Deborah’s two children and well as her own daughter in Pennsylvania, is terrified about his escape and worried that he could come after her.

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“I haven’t slept for many days. Since (his escape) I have been waking up with fright at night. I nap and wake up with fright,” Sarah Brandão told CNN in an interview translated from Portuguese to English.

Cavalcante, 34, who was convicted just last month of first-degree murder in Deborah Brandão’s 2021 killing, escaped from the Chester County Prison some 30 miles west of Philadelphia on August 31, sparking a search involving hundreds of officers.

Cavalcante, who also is wanted in a 2017 homicide case in Brazil, is extremely dangerous and desperate not to get caught, authorities have said, and they’ve urged residents in areas near the prison to keep their doors locked, stay inside, and check their security cameras.

Deborah first met Cavalcante because they were neighbors in Chester County, Sarah told CNN. He helped and was kind to Deborah, she said.

They dated for about a year and a half, according to Sarah.

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“She said he was nice to her, he was nice to her children, that he helped her,” Sarah told CNN. “He kept her company. She didn’t feel alone anymore.”

“He seemed normal, but he was always very silent, observant and reserved,” she added.

This photo, provided by the Chester County Prison, shows Danelo Cavalcante.

He treated Deborah’s two children well, but “there wasn’t much attachment to them – no love, no hug, nothing; very cold,” Sarah said.

His behavior toward Deborah changed over time, Sarah said.

“She kept saying that he was extremely jealous – that when he drank, he became a different person; that he kept going through her cell phone,” Sarah said.

Cavalcante would threaten Deborah, telling her he would “do the worst” to her if she ever cheated, Sarah said.

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Cavalcante killed Deborah, 33, in April 2021 by stabbing her 38 times in front of her then 7- and 4-year-old children, the Chester County district attorney’s office has said. She had filed a protection from abuse order against him the year prior, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Just days after his conviction last month, Cavalcante was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

When Cavalcante was sentenced last month, Sarah felt relief. Deborah was honored and received justice, she said.

But since Cavalcante’s escape, Sarah has been living in fear, she told CNN.

“I was desperate, desperate, very scared. I thought about my children, obviously,” Sarah said.

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Sarah is worried Cavalcante could show up at her Chester County home and afraid he will come after her.

Despite her fears, she believes police will capture Cavalcante, she said.

When Sarah learned about her sister’s murder, “my world ended,” Sarah told CNN.

The sisters were best friends, she said: The only time they weren’t together was at bedtime.

“We worked together all day. We talked on the cell phone all day when we weren’t together,” Sarah said.

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Deborah brought her children to the United States “because here the quality of life is better than in Brazil,” Sarah said.

“She wanted to give a better life for both of them,” Sarah said.

Now, Sarah is trying to give Deborah’s children the lives her sister wanted for them, she said.

“I have a house cleaning company. My husband has a flooring services company. And we continue working our little life and trying to do the best for the children, which is what I have been doing since I lost my sister,” she said.

“I try my best, right?”

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania mom charged after police find 6 kids, over a dozen pets living in filth

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Pennsylvania mom charged after police find 6 kids, over a dozen pets living in filth


Police in Irwin say six children and more than a dozen pets were found living in filth and danger. Investigators say the mom is facing child endangerment and animal cruelty charges after she let her kids fend for themselves in a home filled with trash, no running water and dead animals. KDKA-TV’s Shelley Bortz reports.



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Two on ‘Ten Most Wanted’ in Pennsylvania arrested, $5K reward for new tips

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Two on ‘Ten Most Wanted’ in Pennsylvania arrested, K reward for new tips


(WBRE/WYOU) — Two suspects on the Pennsylvania State Police Ten Most Wanted list have been arrested. Troopers are offering a $5,000 reward for information on any of the suspects. Two suspects have been arrested from the PSP’s Ten Most Wanted list: PSP is now offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of […]



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The Pretzel Capital Of The World Is Located In This Pennsylvania City

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The Pretzel Capital Of The World Is Located In This Pennsylvania City


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Believe it or not, the pretzel capital of the world is not in Munich or Würzburg, but rather in the small Pennsylvania city of Reading. In the 1700s, German immigrants who moved to Pennsylvania brought with them a love of soft, lye-boiled, hand-twisted breads. These immigrants settled in areas like Lititz and Lancaster, where early bakers laid the foundation for large-scale commercial pretzel making.

According to the Berks History Center, Julius Sturgis opened a commercial pretzel bakery in Lititz, near Reading, in 1861, widely credited with being the first. However there are also reports that a man named Benjamin Lichtenthaler built the first such bakery in 1860, or that a baker named John Sauermilch set up shop even earlier, around 1846.

Regardless, what is certain is that the city attracted a host of pretzel makers, and by the late 19th century, dozens of bakeries operated across the city, producing everything from traditional twists to innovative pretzel sticks. According to a local history website, at one point, Reading was home to 26 different bakeries, which earned it the nickname “Pretzel City.” By the 1940s, Reading was responsible for producing one-third of all pretzels baked in the United States. According to a local tourism guide, Pennsylvania continues to dominate the pretzel industry today, with about 80% of U.S. pretzels made in the state.

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Read more: Foods Anthony Bourdain Hated With A Passion

From pretzel twists to pretzel sticks

A bunch of salty pretzel sticks. – Bhofack2/Getty Images

Prior to ever reaching U.S. shores, pretzels were popular in western Europe as soft breads, with that characteristic twist. But once they reached the U.S. their form and texture began to shift. The Tom Sturgis company (operated by descendants of the original Julius Sturgis) states it produced the first crisp, hard pretzels in the U.S. While soft pretzels remain beloved, hard pretzels became the industry standard as they are easier to store and ship.

Other companies such as Unique Snacks, and Faller’s Pretzels established themselves in Reading and surrounding Berks County and similarly began experimenting with these hard pretzels. Faller’s Pretzels became known for thin crunchy pretzel sticks, cut to snacking size.

From pretzel twists dipped in chocolate or pretzel nuggets stuffed with peanut butter, Pennsylvania bakeries keep reinventing a centuries-old snack. Today’s pretzel aisles are filled with modern spins, like pretzel sandwich buns, and super light extra thins. And let’s not forget, the introduction of the butter pretzel — which adds shortening to the dough for a richer, more indulgent taste — is a distinctly modern twist on the original austere recipe.

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Ways to enjoy your salty Reading treat

A handful of crunchy pretzel twists.

A handful of crunchy pretzel twists. – New Africa/Shutterstock

The enduring appeal of pretzels lies in their remarkable salty flexibility. If you’re seeking a traditional, hands-on experience, you can easily make soft pretzels at home, using a bit of lye to achieve that fresh chewy taste.

However if you want to enjoy the crunchy hard-baked Reading speciality, there are endless options. Try crushing hard pretzels for a salty pie crust that goes great with a creamy pumpkin cheese cake and delivers an unreal sweet-and-salty combo. Or crumble some pretzel sticks on top of a rich baked mac and cheese right before you put it in the oven for a crispy crust. Similarly add a fine layer of crushed pretzel dust to your next shepard’s pie for a crunchy finish. Of course, the simplest and perhaps most authentic way to enjoy this Pennsylvania specialty remains enjoying them in their purest form: straight from the bag as a perfectly portable and satisfying snack.

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Read the original article on Food Republic.





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