Daniel Sikkema has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in the murder of his estranged New York art dealer husband, Brent Sikkema, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York announced on Wednesday.
Daniel Sikkema was found guilty in May of charges tied to a murder-for-hire plot of Brent Sikkema that took place in Rio de Janeiro in January 2024. After a two-week trial in New York, Daniel was convicted of three charges: murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country.
“Today’s life sentence holds Daniel Sikkema accountable for a cold, calculated murder-for-hire plot that resulted in the murder of his husband, Brent Sikkema,” said US Attorney Jamie McDonald in a statement, adding that for months Daniel Sikkema had “manipulated friends, family, and employees to execute a killing driven by greed” and that his actions had demonstrated a “profound disregard for human life and the rule of law. This sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime, and it reflects the strength and perseverance of the victim’s community and our law enforcement partners.”
Brent Sikkema was stabbed to death 18 times in Brazil at age 75 on January 14, 2024, which prosecutors argued was planned following a bitter divorce between the couple and a custody dispute involving their son. Brent had founded his gallery in 1991, which was known for its early support of artists like Kara Walker, Vik Muniz, Jeffrey Gibson, and Sheila Hicks. (Following his death, Sikkema Jenkins & Co. was renamed Sikkema Malloy Jenkins.)
To orchestrate the murder, Daniel hired Alejandro Prevez to carry out the act, promising to send Prevez and a romantic interest money; Daniel sent 11 payments in total. Shortly after Brent’s murder, Daniel “secretly sent a $5,000 payment to Prevez for the murder,” according to court files. Prevez was arrested by Brazilian law enforcement on January 18, 2024, and his criminal case remains pending in Brazilian courts.
