The once-celebrated athlete had been battling prostate cancer, according to his family.
Simpson's life was marked by a series of highs and lows. He was hailed as one of the greatest running backs in American football history, and his acting career saw him become a cultural icon. However, his fame took a dark turn in the 1990s when he was charged with the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, a waiter. The pair were found stabbed to death, and Simpson's subsequent trial in 1995 dominated the news cycle for months.
The trial sparked a national debate about fame, domestic abuse, and the racist treatment of Black Americans by the police. Simpson was ultimately acquitted of the charges, a decision made by a predominantly Black jury that marked a seminal moment in US cultural history. However, in 1997, a civil proceeding found Simpson liable for the pair’s deaths. He was ordered to pay $33.5 million in a judgment, but managed to avoid paying significant damages.
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In the days leading up to his death, Simpson reportedly made all visitors, including his family, sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to visit him at his home in Las Vegas. Sources with direct knowledge told TMZ that between 30 to 50 people, comprising friends and family, saw Simpson in person. All visitors are said to have signed the NDAs, and no phones were allowed in the room with Simpson.
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Malcolm LaVergn, the executor of Simpson’s estate and his representative for the last 15 years of his life, has vowed to prevent the payout of the $33.5m judgment to the families of Goldman and Brown Simpson. Speaking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, LaVergn stated, “It’s my hope that the Goldmans get zero, nothing. Them specifically. And I will do everything in my capacity as the executor or personal representative to try and ensure that they get nothing.”
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Simpson's family confirmed his death in a statement, saying, “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.”
In February, Simpson had denied being in palliative care in a video he posted after news outlets reported that he had been undergoing chemotherapy for prostate cancer. He insisted he was not in hospice and said Donald Trump was right not to trust what the media says. Two months later, Simpson passed away.
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Simpson had publicly announced his cancer diagnosis in 2023, stating that he had "caught cancer" and had undergone chemotherapy. Despite the diagnosis, he remained optimistic, saying in a video, "It looks like I beat it."
In his final video, posted on February 11, two months before his death, Simpson insisted that his health was alright, despite some complications. He said, "My health is good. I mean, obviously I’m dealing with some issues but I think I’m just about over it."
Simpson's death has elicited a range of reactions. Tom Lange, one of the lead detectives in the OJ Simpson murder trial, reportedly told TMZ that he had no strong feelings about Simpson's death, saying, “I have nothing to say, I simply don’t care.”
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In an interesting twist, it was revealed that Simpson was originally cast as the Terminator in James Cameron’s legendary franchise before Arnold Schwarzenegger took on the role. Schwarzenegger told The Independent in 2019, “It was actually OJ Simpson that was the first cast Terminator. Then somehow [James Cameron] felt that he was not as believable for a killing machine. So then they hired me. That’s really what happened.”
OJ Simpson's life was a complex tapestry of fame, controversy, and legal battles. His death marks the end of a tumultuous chapter in American cultural history.
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