A Canadian man who prosecutors said flew to California to attack a woman he met through online gaming has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison.
Devin Wolfgang Vanderhoef, 26, of North Vancouver, British Columbia, was sentenced on June 25 for the attempted murders of a Salinas woman and her boyfriend. The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office said he was also sentenced to five consecutive years for personally inflicting great bodily injury and personally using a weapon during the crimes.
Bay City News reported that prosecutors said Vanderhoef flew from Canada to Monterey County in November 2024, bought knives, handcuffs and duct tape, and watched the woman’s home and workplace before the attack.
Prosecutors said Vanderhoef met the woman through online video gaming and later posed as an Amazon package delivery driver to get near her home.
Vanderhoef Was Sentenced to Two Life Terms
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The District Attorney’s Office said Judge Mark E. Hood sentenced Vanderhoef to two consecutive life sentences for the willful, deliberate and premeditated attempted murders of two people.
Vanderhoef was convicted by a jury in February of two counts of attempted murder and one count of residential burglary. The jury also found true that he personally inflicted great bodily injury and personally used a weapon during the crimes.
The Los Angeles Times reported that both victims survived the attack.
Prosecutors Said He Posed as an Amazon Driver
According to prosecutors, Vanderhoef flew to Monterey County, bought the supplies, and surveilled the woman’s home and workplace before going to the residence.
On the night of the attack, prosecutors said Vanderhoef pretended to be an Amazon delivery driver with a package and forced his way inside the home.
The District Attorney’s Office said Vanderhoef stabbed the woman’s boyfriend, causing great bodily injury. Both victims fled the home as the attack continued.
The Victims Fought Back During the Attack
Prosecutors said Vanderhoef followed the victims outside. During the struggle, the boyfriend disarmed Vanderhoef and stabbed him repeatedly.
The District Attorney’s Office said Vanderhoef then tackled the woman as she tried to run back inside the house and strangled her until she could not breathe.
Prosecutors said Vanderhoef confessed that he had planned the attack for a month before flying to California and said his plan was to “actually kill someone.”
A Second Canadian Man Testified Against Him
Darius Whyte, a Canadian man who accompanied Vanderhoef on the trip, was also arrested after the attack.
The District Attorney’s Office said Whyte later pleaded guilty to assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury and being an accessory after the fact to a felony. He testified against Vanderhoef at trial.
Bay City News reported that Whyte accompanied Vanderhoef on the trip before becoming a witness for prosecutors.
The Case Started With an Online Gaming Connection
ABC7 reported in December 2024 that authorities said two Canadian men traveled to California after Vanderhoef became fixated on a woman he had met through an online gaming platform.
The Los Angeles Times reported that prosecutors described Vanderhoef as having been obsessed with the woman for a year before the attack.
Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said in a statement quoted by the Los Angeles Times that the case was a reminder that online interactions can have real-world consequences and urged parents and community members to stay engaged and informed.
The Sentencing Followed a February Conviction
The sentencing closed the case against Vanderhoef after his February jury conviction in Monterey County Superior Court.
The District Attorney’s Office said the case was investigated by Detective Arras Wilson of the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.
Vanderhoef was convicted of attempted murder and residential burglary, and he has now been sentenced to two consecutive life terms plus five years for the November 2024 attack.