Daniel Sikkema Sentenced to Life for Murder-for-Hire Plot
The former husband of art dealer Brent Sikkema receives life imprisonment for orchestrating the 2024 killing.
1Life Sentence Imposed
A federal court in Manhattan sentenced 56-year-old Daniel Sikkema to life imprisonment on 4 November 2026. The sentencing follows his May 2026 conviction on charges including murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country. He also received five years of supervised release following his life term behind bars.
2The 2024 Crime
Brent Sikkema, a prominent 75-year-old New York art dealer, was found stabbed to death in his Rio de Janeiro home on 15 January 2024. Authorities discovered he had been stabbed 18 times during the attack. The victim was a well-known figure who founded the influential Chelsea gallery Sikkema Jenkins Co.
3Divorce Motive Revealed
Prosecutors established that Daniel Sikkema began orchestrating the murder in 2023 during a bitter divorce from his husband of 15 years. The couple shared a son, but their relationship had deteriorated significantly. Daniel, who holds dual US and Cuban citizenship, utilized this period of conflict to plan the fatal attack.
4Recruiting the Hitman
Daniel Sikkema recruited Alejandro Triana Prevez, a Cuban national, to carry out the contract killing. Prevez entered the residence in the Jardim Botânico neighborhood to commit the act. Following the murder, Prevez was arrested four days later at a gas station in Minas Gerais while in possession of stolen cash.
5Financial Concealment Tactics
To hide the financial trail, Daniel Sikkema made 11 separate payments to Prevez and his partner in Cuba. He used the identities of unsuspecting friends, family members, and employees to mask these transactions. Prevez received an initial payment of $5,000, with further payments promised for completing the violent task.
6Legal Proceedings Status
While Daniel Sikkema has been sentenced in a US federal court, the case against the hitman, Alejandro Triana Prevez, is being handled separately by the Brazilian judicial system. Prevez was apprehended approximately 600 miles away from the crime scene in Rio de Janeiro shortly after the murder occurred in January 2024.
7Legacy of the Victim
Brent Sikkema was a significant figure in the art world, having founded his gallery in SoHo during the early 1990s. The gallery, now known as Sikkema Malloy Jenkins, represents artists like Kara Walker and Vik Muniz. The institution has declined to provide any public statements regarding the conviction or the sentencing.
8Conclusion of Case
The sentencing marks the conclusion of a complex international murder-for-hire investigation that spanned from Brazil to New York. The case highlights the severe legal consequences for orchestrating violence across borders. With the mastermind now sentenced to life, the focus remains on the ongoing legal proceedings for the hitman in Brazil.
Original article: The Art Newspaper — Daniel Sikkema Sentenced to Life for Murder-for-Hire Plot