A Canadian man was sentenced to two consecutive life terms for a 2024 stabbing attack on a California woman he met online and her boyfriend.
Devin Wolfgang Vanderhoef, 25, of North Vancouver, British Columbia, carried out the assault in Salinas after meeting the female victim through online video gaming.
Vanderhoef flew to California in November 2024 and posed as an Amazon driver to gain entry to the home. He forced his way inside and stabbed the woman's boyfriend, who suffered critical injuries. The woman fought back with a metal object and was herself stabbed and strangled.
Vanderhoef was convicted in February of two counts of premeditated attempted murder and residential burglary. His accomplice, Darius Whyte, pleaded guilty to related charges and testified against him. Whyte received his sentence in April.
Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said the case shows that online interactions can carry real world consequences.
