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Man receives life sentence for orchestrating murder of estranged husband, art dealer Brent Sikkema.
(Photo via Hyperallergic)
A federal judge sentenced 56-year-old Daniel Sikkema to life in prison on Nov. 4, 2026, following his conviction in a murder-for-hire plot that resulted in the death of his estranged husband, art dealer Brent Sikkema.
Brent Sikkema, 75, was found dead in his Rio de Janeiro home on Jan. 14, 2024, after suffering 18 stab wounds. A federal jury convicted Daniel Sikkema on May 22, 2026, on charges of murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country.
Prosecutors presented evidence that Daniel Sikkema paid the couple's former security guard, Alejandro Prevez, to carry out the killing. According to the investigation, approximately $5,000 was sent to Prevez shortly after the murder. Prevez remains in custody in Brazil awaiting charges.
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald described the crime as a cold, calculated plot driven by greed, noting that the defendant manipulated friends, family, and employees to execute the act during the couple's contentious divorce proceedings.
In addition to the life sentence, U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos ordered five years of supervised release. Daniel Sikkema had previously been arrested in Manhattan in March 2024 on passport fraud charges before facing the federal counts related to the murder. His legal team has indicated plans to appeal the conviction.