Authorities in Brazil announced Thursday that a suspect has been arrested in connection with the killing of Brent Sikkema, the New York City art dealer who was found stabbed to death in his home in Rio de Janeiro this week.
Alejandro Triana Trevez, a 30-year-old Cuban, was found with $3,000 that belonged to Sikkema, according to Brazilian news site G1. Police announced the arrest after disturbing security camera footage emerged appearing to show Sikkema’s home being watched by a driver for 14 hours in the lead up to his death, with a man later seen removing a pair of gloves after leaving the house in the early hours of Sunday.
Local authorities are reportedly investigating the possibility that Sikkema, 75, was killed after a robbery. But the victim’s friends told the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper that they believe the slaying was premeditated—a theory possibly bolstered by the newly published security camera footage.
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Timestamps on the images indicate that a car parked outside Sikkema’s house in the south of Rio at around 2:20 p.m. on Saturday. The car then moves to a different spot on the street a few minutes later, where it remains until 4:53 p.m. The footage also shows Sikkema walking on the street at 4:36 p.m. and entering his home for the last time.
In the almost two and a half hours that the vehicle was parked, a flash of light can be seen at one point in the back seat. According to G1, the light resembles that of a cellphone screen—possibly indicating that the driver wasn’t alone in the car.
After nightfall, at 10:42 p.m., the driver can be seen getting out of the car for the first time, seemingly taking care to lower his head after spotting security cameras on the buildings surrounding Sikkema’s home. He then returns to the car and doesn’t get out again for hours.
At 3:43 a.m. on Sunday, the man leaves the vehicle and crosses the road to Sikkema’s home. He enters the building and remains inside for 14 minutes. He’s then seen leaving the property, removing a pair of gloves before returning to the car.
According to Folha, Sikkema told friends at a recent dinner that he felt so safe in Rio that he would leave his door unlocked. They also say that he had been distressed that his ex, a Cuban named Danny, wouldn’t accept an amicable divorce, complaining that Danny was demanding $6 million and a large amount in spousal support, and refusing to let him see their 12-year-old son, Lucas.
Friends told the newspaper that Danny had even taken out a protective order preventing Sikkema from seeing the child and that Sikkema had once spent a night in jail in New York after breaching the order. They also claimed they believe their multimillion-dollar dispute was the “real trigger” for his killing.
According to reports, Danny was notified of Sikkema’s death, but he will not be traveling to Brazil.
In addition to helping create the Chelsea contemporary art gallery now called Sikkema Jenkins and Co., Sikkema also represented several internationally renowned artists including Jeffrey Gibson, Kara Walker, and Vik Muniz. Brazilian artist Muniz said Sikkema had been his gallerist for 30 years and a friend for even longer.
“He loved Brazil so much,” G1 quoted Muniz as saying, adding: “He didn’t deserve this.”
