{"id":1281,"date":"2026-05-17T13:39:42","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T13:39:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/?p=1281"},"modified":"2026-05-17T13:39:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-17T13:39:42","slug":"did-a-hitman-kill-a-new-york-gallerist-art-world-rocked-by-murder-for-hire-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/?p=1281","title":{"rendered":"Did a hitman kill a New York gallerist? Art world rocked by murder-for-hire trial"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"border-color:var(--article-border);background-color:var(--article-inner-background)\" class=\"dcr-wqti5a\">\n<div class=\"dcr-2zxs1v\">\n<div style=\"--grid-area:media\" data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tr9ye5\">\n<figure id=\"9b7472d5-1c12-4e6a-9d05-8366c9480a34\" class=\"dcr-142siv7\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A man in a dark blazer and white shirt looks at the camera against a plain background\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/bb61685bd202fb88412321f1705af00d5710a989\/1613_3_1985_1191\/master\/1985.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"279\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><span class=\"dcr-v822l1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-gup2gr\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fntg6k\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-1xgwz8b\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1os51wo\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Brent Sikkema attend House of Hennessy Presents Secret Americana: Jean-Michel Othoniel\u2019s First Solo Exhibition in New York at Sikkema Jenkins &amp; Co. on March 6, 2008 in New York City.<\/span> Photograph: Will Ragozzino\/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"9b7472d5-1c12-4e6a-9d05-8366c9480a34\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-n4pnam\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1hdkqum\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Brent Sikkema attend House of Hennessy Presents Secret Americana: Jean-Michel Othoniel\u2019s First Solo Exhibition in New York at Sikkema Jenkins &amp; Co. on March 6, 2008 in New York City.<\/span> Photograph: Will Ragozzino\/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:border\" data-gu-name=\"border\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:headline\" data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1aqe7zu\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-1k1a1x\">Did a hitman kill a New York gallerist? Art world rocked by murder-for-hire trial<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:standfirst\" data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-b3fmmo\">\n<p>Daniel Sikkema is accused of hiring someone to kill his husband, Brent Sikkema, amid a divorce and alleged fights over money<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:body\" data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-kn9unn\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1a4fred\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-ydnaza\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-1c9t5u6\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In the early morning hours of 14 January 2024, a hitman slipped into the renowned New York City gallerist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2024\/jan\/18\/brazil-man-arrested-killing-us-art-dealer-brent-sikkema\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Brent Sikkema<\/a>\u2019s Rio de Janeiro townhouse.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The alleged assassin, Alejandro Triana Prevez, grabbed a kitchen knife and traveled to Sikkema\u2019s upstairs bedroom. An altercation unfolded near the bedroom door. As Sikkema, 75, struggled for his life, Prevez stabbed him, a lawsuit filed in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/new-york\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">New York<\/a> state civil court alleges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Sikkema was then forced on to his bed. Prevez drove the knife into Sikkema\u2019s body and face over and over again, stabbing him a total of 18 times. Prevez then covered Sikkema\u2019s body with a pillow and blanket before leaving, civil court papers allege.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Brazilian authorities arrested Prevez about four days later and in less than two weeks, he allegedly made a startling admission. Prevez claimed that Sikkema\u2019s estranged husband, Daniel, had plotted the grisly hit that has rocked the art world.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Sikkema founded the contemporary art gallery Wooster Gardens in Manhattan\u2019s SoHo neighborhood around 1991 and then relocated to the Chelsea neighborhood. The gallery was eventually renamed Sikkema Jenkins &amp; Co and was celebrated for showcasing contemporary artists such as painter Kara Walker and photographer Vik Muniz, <a href=\"https:\/\/news.artnet.com\/art-world\/brent-sikkema-murder-rio-2419537\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">according to Artnet<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The gallery, now named Sikkema Malloy Jenkins, became known for representing artists from a diverse range of backgrounds before many other gallerists prioritized diversity. The gallery also represented Jeffrey Gibson as the first Indigenous artist to represent the US solo at the Venice Biennale art show.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Prevez\u2019s alleged confession set off a chain of events that culminated with Daniel Sikkema\u2019s murder-for-hire trial in Manhattan federal court last week. These criminal proceedings, as well as civil litigation, reveal details surrounding the collapse of a once-happy marriage that allegedly spiraled into murder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cBrent Sikkema was brutally murdered,\u201d prosecutor Nicholas Pavlis told jurors in his opening statement. \u201cA hitman snuck into his home \u2026 and stabbed Brent over and over again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cWhen the job was done, the hitman immediately made a phone call. Who did he call? He called the defendant \u2013 that man\u201d Pavlis continued, pointing to him. \u201cDaniel Sikkema.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThey were going through a bad divorce and fighting over money,\u201d Pavlis said, as Daniel Sikkema sat in court, appearing not to show any emotion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Pavlis said that voice notes and other media such as texts clearly reveal Daniel Sikkema\u2019s motive. In one WhatsApp message dated 18 May 2023, Daniel Sikkema allegedly sent an associate a message he seemingly planned on sending Brent Sikkema, according to court papers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI want you to transfer $6m to my account,\u201d Daniel Sikkema allegedly wrote, also insisting that Brent owed him child support for their son. \u201cThe alimony I\u2019m entitled to for having been married to you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Daniel Sikkema allegedly said in a 14 July 2023 voice note, also cited in court papers: \u201cI\u2019m still fighting with this old bastard who won\u2019t die. But anyway, I\u2019ll tell you, until he dies or until someone kills him or until \u2026 or \u2026 or until I get divorced, that\u2019s how it\u2019s going to be. Well, anyway, kisses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Days later, Daniel Sikkema allegedly recorded still more voice notes discussing divorce and death.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cAnd here I am struggling with, oh, this old bastard who won\u2019t die soon enough, for God\u2019s sake. Every day it\u2019s something different. Every day. Now he\u2019s cut off the credit card he gave me to pay for [son]\u2019s things and stuff, making up lies that I spend on this and that,\u201d he allegedly said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The animus persisted and on 11 December 2023 \u2013 less than one month before Brent Sikkema\u2019s killing\u2014Daniel Sikkema allegedly said in a recording: \u201cWe are in the divorce process, which never ends.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cWell, he can take all the time he wants. Let\u2019s see if \u2026 instead of getting divorced, I end up a widower, which would suit me much better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Although Brent Sikkema had disinherited Daniel Sikkema from his will, that didn\u2019t deter his ex\u2019s alleged desire for money post-murder. In one voice note dated 8 February 2024 discussed in court papers, Daniel Sikkema allegedly said: \u201cWell, yes, I already have my lawyers who are going to \u2026 at the right time, claim what belongs to me, what I\u2019m entitled to as a widower.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">More details emerged in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the executor of Brent Sikkema\u2019s estate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The couple met in Miami about 19 years ago. They became romantic partners and Daniel Sikkema, a Cuban national at the time, moved into Brent Sikkema\u2019s New York City apartment. They had a son via surrogate in 2010 and wed in 2013.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Daniel Sikkema in 2019 allegedly \u201cpropositioned\u201d his then-husband to have an \u201copen marriage\u201d and relocate their family to Cuba. \u201cAfter Brent S rejected these proposals, their marriage began to deteriorate,\u201d the lawsuit said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Daniel Sikkema filed for divorce in 2022 and the proceedings swiftly took a bitter turn. He allegedly tried to withdraw $200,000 from his husband\u2019s bank account \u201cusing a forged check\u201d but failed as the account didn\u2019t have that much money, the suit alleges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In March 2022, Daniel Sikkema allegedly told their son\u2019s school that he wouldn\u2019t be returning for the upcoming school year, saying they were moving to Cuba.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Daniel Sikkema allegedly absconded that month, taking their son, without revealing their whereabouts. Brent Sikkema went weeks without knowing where their son was \u2013 or whether he was OK.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Daniel Sikkema and their son ultimately \u201csurfaced\u201d in New York City, allegedly because he needed money from Brent Sikkema. After Brent Sikkema obtained a court order to confiscate their son\u2019s passports to prevent Daniel from taking him away without his approval.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Then came the false allegations. Daniel Sikkema allegedly complained to New York City\u2019s child welfare agency in an effort to get full custody of their son \u2013 but authorities determined the claims \u201chad no merit\u201d, according to the suit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Daniel Sikkema complained to the family court in yet another effort to secure full custody of their son. He filed a police report claiming \u201cwrongful eviction\u201d after Brent Sikkema changed their locks.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Daniel Sikkema \u201calso complained to the New York criminal authorities that Brent S planned to commit mass murder at John F Kennedy international airport,\u201d the lawsuit alleges. Brent Sikkema was arrested and jailed in a holding cell with \u201cdangerous criminals\u201d for 22 hours.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The prominent art dealer was \u201cultimately released without any charges because the police concluded Defendant\u2019s allegations \u2026 to be unfounded.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In 2023, Daniel Sikkema allegedly hired Prevez \u2013 who at point had worked as his security guard \u2013 to kill Brent Sikkema. He allegedly directed thousands in payments to Prevez, using intermediaries such as his housekeeper.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThe defendant spent over $10,000 on his husband\u2019s death,\u201d Pavlis said in court.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Daniel Sikkema has maintained his innocence. During the defense opening, lawyer Florian Miedel insisted that\u201dno one is going to come into this courtroom and say \u2018I have actual knowledge that Daniel hired Alejandro to kill Brent\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">He said there were no messages about a plan to kill Brent Sikkema. Prevez, on the other hand, was \u201cobsessed with a woman in Cuba\u201d and was laser-focused on \u201cbuying her a house in Spain\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">As for Daniel Sikkema\u2019s bleak comments about his husband\u2019s death before the murder, Miedel said that life can be \u201cmessy\u201d. During contentious divorces, people can say \u201cthings they don\u2019t mean\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">And sometimes during acrimonious splits, Miedel argued, people just say things that reflect \u201cthe worst versions of themselves\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-qxqnsy\"><span class=\"dcr-1rq3vad\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-1dzx48f\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-1rrvs2w\">\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/new-york\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">New York<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/us-crime\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">US crime<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/tone\/features\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">features<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-nu129i\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Did%20a%20hitman%20kill%20a%20New%20York%20gallerist?%20Art%20world%20rocked%20by%20murder-for-hire%20trial&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/17\/brent-daniel-sikkema-trial-murder-for-hire-trial?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-125qj9d\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-zhx6xs\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fmay%2F17%2Fbrent-daniel-sikkema-trial-murder-for-hire-trial&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/may\/17\/brent-daniel-sikkema-trial-murder-for-hire-trial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-14rjinq\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:right-column\" data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1h2hraq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tn16h9\">\n<section class=\"dcr-1hko8ef\"><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brent Sikkema attend House of Hennessy Presents Secret Americana: Jean-Michel Othoniel\u2019s First Solo Exhibition in New York at<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":1282,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1281"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1283,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1281\/revisions\/1283"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}