Ex-hooker accused of hiring hitman to kill NYC art-dealer hubby plays it cool over corpse photos
The trial of Daniel Carrera Sikkema, the ex-hooker accused of hiring a hitman to kill his Chelsea art-dealer husband, began with chilling evidence presented in Manhattan federal court. Sikkema, clad in a gray blazer, remained stoic as prosecutors displayed graphic photos of his estranged husband Brent Sikkema’s bloodied corpse, which bore multiple stab wounds from the January 2024 killing in Rio de Janeiro.
According to federal prosecutors, Sikkema orchestrated the murder of his 77-year-old spouse while the couple was embroiled in a bitter divorce and custody battle over their young son. The alleged hitman, Cuban national Alejandro Triana Prevez, was tasked with sneaking into Brent Sikkema’s Brazilian apartment and carrying out the fatal stabbing at the behest of Sikkema.
Assistant US Attorney Nicholas Pavlis told jurors that Sikkema orchestrated the murder from a distance, believing he would benefit financially from his husband’s death rather than through a divorce settlement. The prosecution alleged that Sikkema funneled thousands of dollars to Prevez through a network of intermediaries, including a housekeeper, her daughter, a handyman, and even Sikkema’s romantic partner.
Prevez was arrested by Brazilian police shortly after the killing and confessed to stabbing Brent Sikkema 18 times. Prosecutors played voice notes in court that they claimed were sent by Sikkema to friends and relatives during the divorce proceedings, expressing his desire for Brent’s demise.
While Sikkema’s lawyer, Florian Miedel, acknowledged Prevez’s role in the murder, he maintained that there was no direct evidence linking his client to the crime. Miedel argued that no witness could attest to Sikkema’s involvement in hiring Prevez to kill Brent Sikkema.
The trial’s first witness, family friend Angela Liriano, testified that Sikkema had complained about financial matters during the divorce and expressed a desire for more money than what was offered in the settlement. Liriano recounted a disturbing phone conversation with Sikkema in which he allegedly expressed a wish for Brent’s death upon learning of his trip to Brazil.
As the trial unfolds, the prosecution will continue to present evidence linking Sikkema to the murder plot, while the defense maintains their client’s innocence. The courtroom drama surrounding this high-profile case is sure to captivate audiences as the truth behind Brent Sikkema’s tragic death is revealed.
