Brazilian authorities have arrested a man wanted for the murder of New York City art gallery owner Brent Sikkema on Thursday morning.
Cuban national Alejandro Triana, 30, was taken into custody during a traffic stop on a highway in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, about 615 miles from Sikkema’s townhouse in Rio de Janeiro, where the killing took place.
Triana allegedly stabbed Sikkema, co-owner of Sikkema Jenkins & Co., during the early hours of Saturday morning before fleeing to São Paulo, where police intelligence was able to track him down.
The alleged killer was carrying $3,000 that he had stolen from Sikkema after the murder, authorities said.
Alejandro Triana (pictured) was arrested Thursday morning by police in Brazil in connection with the murder of New York City art gallery owner Brent Sikkema
Sikkema (pictured with former First Lady Michelle Obama) was well known throughout the NYC art scene and owned a home in Brazil
Authorities said he could have been stabbed with scissors, a box cutter or a screwdriver in the attack. The suspect fled after the attack.
Triana was traveling on highway BR-050, which connects the southern state of São Paulo to the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, and authorities believe he was attempting to cross into the state of Mato Grosso when he was nabbed.
Rio de Janeiro Civil Police investigators have indicated that Sikkema’s murder was premeditated after surveillance cameras operated by Gabriel Security Company showed Triana surveying Sikkema’s home in the Rio de Janeiro affluent neighborhood of Jardim Botânico.
Triana arrived at 2:30pm and parked the car until 4:53pm across the street from the two-story residence.
Sikkema was found stabbed to death at his home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Monday
Alejandro Triana was captured on camera walking out of the Rio de Janeiro home of New York City art gallery owner Brent Sikkema on Saturday at 3:57am. Sikkema was found dead with multiple stab wounds Monday. Triana was arrested on a highway on Thursday
Triana spent almost 14 hours surveying the home of Sikkema before he allegedly murdered him and robbed him of $3,000, authoritie said. A vehicle driven by Triana is seen above driving away moments after the incident
Sikkema could be seen wearing a T-shirt, shorts and sandals while carrying a large tote bag as he approached his home, entering at 4:36pm and never walking out again.
Video footage shows the vehicle moving at 2:54pm and stationed just several feet away from the entrance to Sikkema’s home.
Triana remained inside the car until 10:42pm and was spotted walking around the neighborhood and lowering his head to avoid being detected by surveillance cameras.
He returned to his car at 10:52pm and remained there until 3:43am, when he stepped out of the vehicle and entered Sikkema’s home.
Triana spent 14 minutes inside the residence and walked out at 3:57am. He could be seen removing a pair of gloves and walking back to the car before driving away.
Brent Sikkema appears on a surveillance camera walking to his home in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Saturday, just hours before he was stabbed dead
Police escort Alejandro Triana out of a Civil Police station in Minas Gerais following his arrest Thursday morning
Sikkema, who is survived by his husband and 12-year-old son, was born in Morrison, Illinois, and graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute.
The prominent art gallery owner was the director of exhibitions at Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester in 1971. He later served as the director of Vision Gallery in Boston from 1976 to 1980 and was its owner from 1980 to 1989.
Sikkema founded his New York City art gallery in 1991 as Wooster Gardens in Soho. In 1999, the art gallery was moved to its current location in Chelsea.
Sikkema was also known to work with Anohia, Tony Feher, Sheila Hicks, Jennifer Packer, Deana Lawson, Mark Bradford, Amy Sillman, Shahzia Sikander and Arlene Shechet, according to ARTnews.
‘It is with great sadness that the gallery announces the passing of our beloved founder, Brent Sikkema,’ Sikkema Jenkins & Co. said in a statement Tuesday. ‘The gallery grieves this tremendous loss and will continue on in his spirit.’
According to Brazilian news outlet O Globo, Sikkema reportedly purchased his Rio de Janeiro townhouse ten years ago and visited at least three times a year.
His Rio de Janeiro-based attorney, Simone Nunes, was entrusted with looking after the residence while he was in the United States.
She told cops that she became worried after Sikkema had not answered her phone calls since Saturday. Nunes visited Sikkema’s home Monday night after he failed to show up for a meeting and found him in his bed.