A Canadian man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after disguising himself as an Amazon delivery driver and travelling to California to carry out a premeditated attack on a woman he met through online gaming.
Devin Wolfgang Vanderhoef, 26, from North Vancouver, British Columbia, was sentenced by a Monterey County court to two consecutive life terms for orchestrating the attempted murder.
According to prosecutors, Vanderhoef met the unidentified woman from Salinas, California, through an online gaming platform in November 2024. Authorities said he became obsessed with her over the following months and spent nearly a year planning the attack.
Investigators revealed that Vanderhoef carefully prepared for the assault by purchasing knives, handcuffs and duct tape, while also monitoring the victim’s home and workplace before travelling across the US-Canada border.
On the day of the attack, he allegedly dressed as an Amazon delivery driver and went to the woman’s home. Her boyfriend answered the door before Vanderhoef forced his way inside and attacked him with a knife.
As the victims attempted to flee, the suspect continued the assault. Prosecutors said the boyfriend managed to disarm Vanderhoef during the struggle, although he sustained stab wounds.
Authorities also said Vanderhoef tackled and choked the woman during the attack. Despite their injuries, the couple fought back and restrained him until law enforcement officers arrived at the scene.
During the investigation, Vanderhoef admitted that he intended to kill the woman, according to prosecutors.
The case also involved an accomplice, Darius Avery White, who pleaded guilty to assault-related charges and was sentenced in April 2025 after agreeing to testify against Vanderhoef.
In addition to the two life sentences, the court imposed an extra five-year prison term on Vanderhoef for causing bodily injury and using a deadly weapon during the attack.
Following the sentencing, Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said the case highlights the real-world dangers that can arise from online interactions.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office also urged the public to exercise caution when interacting with strangers through social media, messaging platforms and online gaming, warning that people online may not always be who they claim to be.
