A court in Rio de Janeiro has scheduled the trial of Alejandro Triana Prevez, a Cuban national accused of fatally stabbing the well-known American art dealer Brent Sikkema, for February 25, 2027. The incident occurred in January 2024.
Judge Tula Correa de Mello, who presides over the 3rd Criminal Court of the Capital, set the trial date and decided to keep Triana in preventive detention. This decision, reported by Agência Brasil, was partly based on Triana's admission of planning to flee Brazil via the Peruvian border after the crime was discovered.
Triana faces charges of aggravated homicide, with aggravating factors including a promise of reward, use of a cruel method, and employing a tactic that hindered the victim's defense. He is also accused of aggravated robbery.
The prosecution claims that Triana traveled from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro following instructions and receiving financial support from Daniel García Carrera, also known as Daniel Sikkema, Brent's ex-husband and alleged mastermind behind the crime.
On the night of January 15, 2024, Triana reportedly used keys sent by Daniel from the United States to enter Sikkema's residence in the upscale Jardim Botânico neighborhood. Once inside, Sikkema was stabbed 18 times.
The autopsy report, cited by the judge, underscores the dangerous and brutal nature of the crime, indicating that the victim was attacked with a sharp object "without any possibility of defense."
Triana was apprehended three days later at a gas station between Uberlândia and Uberaba in Minas Gerais state, carrying $3,000 at the time of his arrest.
Divorce Dispute Turns Deadly
The prosecution asserts that the murder stemmed from the financial dispute between Brent and Daniel, which began in 2022 during their divorce proceedings. The prosecution alleges that Daniel promised Triana $200,000 for the murder, though only $9,000 was exchanged before and after the crime.
Brent had removed his ex-husband from his will and refused a $6 million divorce settlement.
The legal proceedings for both defendants are now on separate tracks. In Brazil, Daniel's case was split from Triana's following a judicial motion, allowing their cases to progress independently.
In the United States, a federal jury in Manhattan found Daniel García Carrera guilty in May of conspiracy to commit murder for hire resulting in death, murder for hire resulting in death, and plotting to kill a person abroad.
García Carrera, originally from Camagüey, emigrated to Spain in 1998 and later to the United States, where he married Sikkema in 2013. The federal indictment against him was filed in New York in February 2025, and he is currently awaiting sentencing following the guilty verdict.
Brent Sikkema was a renowned contemporary art dealer in New York. He established his gallery in 1991 and later founded Sikkema Jenkins & Co., representing artists like Kara Walker and Vik Muniz. After his murder, the gallery was renamed Sikkema Malloy Jenkins.
Key Questions About the Brent Sikkema Case
What were the charges against Alejandro Triana Prevez?
Alejandro Triana Prevez is charged with aggravated homicide and aggravated robbery, with additional factors such as a promise of reward and using a cruel method that hindered the victim’s defense.
How did Daniel García Carrera allegedly plan the murder?
Daniel García Carrera, Brent Sikkema’s ex-husband, allegedly orchestrated the murder by providing instructions and financial support to Triana, including sending keys to access Sikkema's home.
What was the motive behind the murder of Brent Sikkema?
The murder was allegedly motivated by a financial dispute related to Brent and Daniel's divorce, with Daniel purportedly promising a monetary reward for the crime.