A federal jury has found Daniel Sikkema guilty of orchestrating the murder-for-hire of his estranged husband, New York art dealer Brent Sikkema. Brent Sikkema, 75, was stabbed 18 times in his Rio de Janeiro townhouse in January 2024. The hitman, Alejandro Triana Prevez, a Cuban security guard, was arrested days later and remains in prison awaiting trial. Prosecutors presented evidence including voice notes in which Daniel Sikkema allegedly threatened to become a widower, phone calls via a burner phone, and a $9,000 payment to Prevez. Daniel Sikkema was arrested in March 2024 on passport fraud charges and later charged with conspiracy to commit murder for hire.
This case matters because Brent Sikkema was a prominent figure in the New York art world, co-founding Sikkema Jenkins Gallery (now Sikkema Malloy Jenkins) and representing major artists like Kara Walker, Sheila Hicks, and Vik Muniz. His brutal murder sent shockwaves through the art community, and the conviction brings a measure of closure while highlighting the intersection of personal conflict and the high-stakes art market. The verdict underscores the legal system's ability to hold individuals accountable for cross-border crimes targeting art-world figures.