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Twisted gigolo gets life in prison for killing NYC art-dealer hubby with murder-for-hire plot
Daniel Sikkema, 56, was sentenced to life in prison for arranging the 2024 killing of his estranged husband, Manhattan art dealer Brent Sikkema, 77. The sentence follows a federal jury’s conviction on murder-for-hire and conspiracy charges, amid a bitter divorce and custody dispute.
Evidence showed Sikkema paid about $9,000 to Alejandro Triana Prevez, the couple’s former security guard, who entered Brent Sikkema’s home in Rio de Janeiro and stabbed him 18 times. The victim had run a prominent Chelsea gallery and worked with contemporary artists; Sikkema maintains his innocence and plans to appeal. Prevez, arrested in Rio, is awaiting a separate trial.
In short
- Daniel Sikkema received a life sentence for murder-for-hire.
- Prosecutors said he paid about $9,000 to the former security guard.
- The convicted man plans to appeal; the alleged killer awaits trial.
Explained simply
Brent Sikkema was a New York art dealer who ran a gallery in Chelsea, a neighbourhood in Manhattan known for its art scene. He and Daniel Sikkema were married but estranged, and their separation involved disputes over divorce and child custody.
The case centres on the killing of Brent Sikkema at his home in Rio de Janeiro in 2024. A federal jury found Daniel Sikkema guilty of arranging the killing with the help of Alejandro Triana Prevez, a former security guard for the couple; Prevez faces a separate trial.