Unearthed diary reveals gruesome final moments of acclaimed NYC art dealer assassinated in Rio holiday home 'after greedy husband took out a hit on him thinking he'd be richer as widower than divorcee'

An unearthed diary has potentially offered horrific new details on the gruesome murder of legendary art dealer Brent Sikkema. 

Sikkema, 75, moved to Rio de Janeiro last Christmas after spending two years attempting to settle an acrimonious divorce with his estranged husband Daniel, 53.

Daniel was seeking an 'unreasonable' $6 million of his reported $20 million fortune. 

On January 13 Brent was stabbed to death, within his two-story vacation home sparking a high profile police investigation and manhunt for his killer. 

On January 18 a 30-year-old delivery driver, Alejandro Triana Prevez, was arrested.

After initially denying any involvement in the crime the Cuban immigrant eventually admitted to police that he had killed Sikkema and alleged that Brent's ex Daniel, 53, had hired him to do it. 

Brent Sikkema (right) moved to Rio de Janeiro last Christmas after spending two years attempting to settle an acrimonious divorce with his estranged husband Daniel Sikkema (left)

Murder suspect Alejandro Triana Prevez's journal entrees reveal a shocking tale of an alleged 'murder-for-hire' plot by Sikkema's estranged husband

On January 13 Brent was seen entering his apartment for the last time 

Daniel has denied the allegations, telling the Wall Street Journal in a statement 'I hope that, based on evidence and not false allegations, what really happened will come to light.'

Now shocking details from Prevez's handwritten prison diary, seen by the Wall Street Journal, reveal the brutal final moments of before Brent was stabbed eighteen times, including in the chest and face, in his own bed.  

'He finds [Brent] sleeping with his mouth open, his naked body covered by silky sheets, breathing calmly' Prevez wrote about the moment he entered Brent's bedroom in Rio ready to take his life. 

'He moves to the side of the bed silently, trying to breathe calmly but failing' he wrote, describing himself in the third person. 

Prevez detailed how he used a knife from Brent's kitchen to murder the millionaire art dealer. 

'He closes his eyes and throws himself down on top of the victim, letting the knife go in.'

'The fighting begins, he removes the knife with tears in his eyes and stabs three more times trying to make him stop moving, an image that will never be erased' the harrowing diary entry reads.   

Prevez wrote in the account that he stabbed Brent four times, apologized and covered the body with a sheet before washing the knife and leaving the property. 

The legenday art dealer had amassed a fortune of $20 million 

Prevez detailed how he used a knife from Brent's kitchen to murder the millionaire art dealer

However, an autopsy found that Brent had been stabbed 18 times, mostly in the chest and face.  

Prevez, who used to teach at a Havana polytechnic school, came to know Brent and Daniel, who is also Cuban, when he was hired to be a caretaker for a property they owned in Havana.

After some years in this role he moved to Sao Paulo but got back in touch with Daniel in 2022, the Journal reported.  

The friends decided to catch up, a meeting at which Daniel allegedly offered Prevez $200,000 and a place to stay in Rio in exchange for murdering Brent, according to Prevez's later police statement.  

Prevez's journal reveals that the former teacher had moved to Brazil in September 2022 in the hopes of making a better living.

However, he was tempted by Daniel's alleged offer, the diary claims, after being enraged by Daniel's stories of Brent's poor behavior in the marriage. 

Daniel had accused his spouse of cheating, drug use that had got out of hand including leaving 'bowls of cocaine' around their homes, and of planning to take a gun to JFK airport to ' kill people,' the Journal reported.   

Prevez wrote in his diary that he became particularly angry after hearing Daniel recall how their son Lucas was left in tears when he heard Brent with an escort in the next hotel room during a trip to Paris. 

After initially denying any involvement in the crime Prevez eventually admitted to police that he had killed Sikkema and alleged that Brent's ex Daniel, 53, had hired him to do it

The apartment where Brent Sikkema was found stabbed to death 

Daniel's lawyers confirmed to the Journal that their client shared this story with Prevez as he states. 

However, Prevez claims he first told Daniel that he would 'think about the proposal', according to his police statement. 

Prevez told police that he was subsequently sent sums of money from an account in New York, in lumps of $300 to $500 at the time.

Brazilian police later linked the transfers to an account registered to Daniel's cellphone, the Journal reported. 

Daniel's lawyers claim the money was backpay for Prevez's previous work in Havana.  

Prevez claims Daniel then sent him a key to the property in Rio and asked him to get a cellphone so they could communicate via WhatsApp.  

Prevez told investigators he travelled to Rio twice in 2023, once to plan the murder and again in December when he planned to commit it.

However, he got nervous and pulled out of the plan. 

The famous art dealer had many notable connections, including pictured here with Michelle Obama 

Brent and David had spent two years arguing over a divorce settlement 

In response, Daniel allegedly told Prevez 'if you don't want to do this, don't do it, but forget that I exist' according to Prevez's police account. 

After this conversation the money allegedly stopped arriving from New York and Prevez took a job making deliveries.

However, he claimed he was not making enough money to support his family back in Cuba so got back in touch with Daniel. 

Prevez says he agreed to return to Rio and kill Brent after Christmas, when Daniel has allegedly confirmed that his husband would be in town. 

Prevez parked his borrowed Fiat Palio on Brent's block at 2:30pm on January 13 with a crossbow on the backseat, according to police. 

'It's like a rifle, but you just get one shot. The most important thing, though: it's silent,' Prevez wrote of the potenital murder weapon in his diary. 

However, he decided against taking it inside as he made his way into Brent's bedroom and brutally knifed him to death. 

Moments after Prevez left Brent's home he called a Brazilian WhatsApp number reportedly registered to a woman Daniel knew in Brazil.

Prevez parked his borrowed Fiat Palio on Brent's block at 2:30pm on January 13 with a crossbow on the backseat, according to police

However, police say the call came through a New York IP address. 

The next morning Prevez claims he received a call back from the same number and that it was Daniel on the line. 

Prevez claims he asked him to delete their call history but that he did not do it. 

Lawyers for Daniel deny that he spoke to Prevez after Brent's death. 

Prevez said he returned his hired Fiat car in Sao Palo and bought another one with money sent by Daniel.

He planned to escape to Paraguay but only made it to Minas Gerais where he was arrested at a gas station by police. 

Under Brazilian law Prevez could receive a lesser sentence if he acted on the paid instructions of another person. 

Daniel claims this may be the reason he is being encouraged to accuse him of paying for the murder. 

Brazilian police indicted both Daniel and Prevez on charges of 'qualified homicide' on February 7. 

Brent's murder sparked a high profile police investigation and manhunt for his killer

They claim that Daniel stood to benefit from Brent's death. 

Indeed, under New York law Daniel could claim a third of Brent’s net worth as the surviving spouse.

This is likely more than he would have received in a divorce settlement which would only have been half of any assets accrued during the marriage and much of Brent's $20 million fortune was amassed before the couple met. 

Daniel’s lawyers have indicated that they intend to claim his share as a surviving spouse. 

Police issued a preventive arrest warrant for Daniel following the indictment which has been submitted to Interpol, the Journal reports.   

Brazilian authorities are also in talks with their U.S. counterparts to determine whether the US will extradite Daniel or pursue its own investigation. 

On March 20, the FBI arrested Daniel for allegedly committing passport fraud after he tried to file a new US passport request for his son Lucas when the executor of Brent's will blocked him from accessing it.

Daniel must now wear an electronic ankle bracelet and await the authorities decision.