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Canadian Sentenced to Two Consecutive Life Terms for Salinas Home Invasion

Prosecutors say the attack grew from a yearlong online fixation, prompting officials to warn about the real-world dangers of delivery-driver impersonation.

Overview

  • He was sentenced Thursday to two consecutive life terms plus five additional years after a jury convicted him in February of attempted murder and related weapons enhancements.
  • Prosecutors say Devin Wolfgang Vanderhoef flew from North Vancouver to Monterey County in November 2024, posed as an Amazon delivery driver to gain entry, and attacked a Salinas woman and her boyfriend; both victims survived.
  • Investigators say Vanderhoef bought knives, handcuffs and duct tape, conducted surveillance of the victim’s home and workplace, and confessed he had planned the assault for more than a month with the intent to kill.
  • A companion, Darius Avery Whyte, pleaded guilty to assault charges, testified at trial for the prosecution, and was sentenced in April 2026 after being arrested while attempting to fly home to Canada.
  • Local officials are using the case to warn about online-to-offline stalking and the risks of delivery impersonation, and survivors and community members face ongoing safety and trauma-related challenges as investigators and courts close the case.