Ex-Husband of Murdered Art Dealer Brent Sikkema Arrested in New York

The ex-husband of Brent Sikkema, an esteemed art dealer who was murdered in Brazil in January, was arrested in New York on Wednesday.

Hyperallergic confirmed news of the arrest of Daniel Sikkema, whose detainment was first reported on X/Twitter by Inner City Press, a publication that focuses on the Southern District Court of New York.

Daniel Sikkema has been the subject of much speculation in Brazil, where authorities have claimed that he may be connected to his former spouse’s killing. Since at least February, investigators in the country have been vocal about wanting to arrest Daniel.

Brent Sikkema was discovered stabbed to death in his Rio de Janeiro apartment in mid-January. The 75-year-old dealer founded Sikkema Jenkins & Co., a beloved New York gallery that represents artists such as Jeffrey Gibson, who is representing the United States at this year’s Venice Biennale, which opens in April.

Alejandro Triana Prevez, a 30-year-old Cuban man, confessed to Sikkema’s murder, and was captured by a video surveillance system leaving the dealer’s apartment around the time of the killing. But Prevez’s lawyer, Greg Andrade, said that his client did not commit the murder, claiming that Prevez was drugged before the killing took place.

Andrade has also alleged that Prevez was manipulated into killing Brent Sikkema by Daniel Sikkema, whom Andrade said groomed his client and took advantage of his precarious finances.

Brazilian police officials said they believed Prevez had been motivated to enter Brent Sikkema’s home in order to commit a robbery. Andrade told Artnet News that Prevez left with jewelry and $9,500 in US and Brazilian currency.

Amid the ongoing investigation, the Brazilian press has seized on what role Daniel Sikkema may have played in the murder. Folha de São Paulo reported that his and Brent’s divorce had become contentious and that Daniel had been trying to see their son. Daniel was reportedly demanding a $6 million settlement and visitation rights with his son. (The court papers for their divorce case are sealed, as is common for legal actions of that nature, making such information difficult to verify.)

According to Hyperallergic, Daniel will be released after signing a bond. After that, he would be given an ankle monitor.

A legal representative for Daniel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.