Canadian National Sentenced to Consecutive Life Terms for 2024 Monterey County Attempted Murder
MONTEREY COUNTY, CA — On June 25, 2026, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office announced the sentencing of Devin Wolfgang Vanderhoef, a 26-year-old resident of North Vancouver, British Columbia. Vanderhoef received two consecutive life sentences for the willful, deliberate, and premeditated attempted murder of two individuals. Additionally, he was sentenced to five consecutive years for personally inflicting great bodily injury and personally using a weapon during the commission of the offenses.
The charges stem from an incident in November 2024. Investigators determined that Vanderhoef met the female victim through online video gaming. Vanderhoef subsequently traveled by air from Canada to Monterey County, where he purchased knives, handcuffs, and duct tape, and conducted surveillance on the female victim’s residence and place of employment.
On the night of the incident, Vanderhoef posed as an Amazon delivery courier to gain access to the residence. Once inside, he stabbed the female victim’s boyfriend, causing great bodily injury. The two victims fled the home, and Vanderhoef pursued them outside to continue the assault. During the altercation, the male victim disarmed Vanderhoef and stabbed him multiple times. Vanderhoef then tackled the female victim as she attempted to re-enter the house and strangled her. Following his arrest, Vanderhoef stated he had planned the assault for a month prior to arriving in California with the intent to commit murder.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office collaborated on the investigation and prosecution. Officials noted that a second Canadian national involved in the incident, Darius Avery Whyte, previously accepted a plea agreement and was sentenced on April 3, 2026. Sheriff Tina Nieto issued a statement highlighting the case as a reminder of the potential security risks associated with online interactions on social media, messaging, and gaming platforms.
