O.J. Simpson Dead at Age 76 Following Cancer Battle
O.J. Simpson has died at age 76.
In a statement shared by the former athlete's family to his social media accounts, they revealed Simpson had passed away after battling cancer.
"On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace. -The Simpson Family," the message shared to X read. Simpson is survived by his four children Jason, Arnelle, Sydney and Justin.
In February, reports surfaced the ex-Buffalo Bills player was undergoing chemotherapy in Las Vegas after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Although Simpson had an illustrious football career, he rose to fame in the ‘90s when he stood trial and was later acquitted in 1995 for the murders of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
In 2008, the running back was convicted of leading five men, including two armed individuals, in a confrontation with two sports collectibles dealers in a Las Vegas casino hotel the year prior. He was originally sentenced to 33 years behind bars for armed robbery and kidnapping but was granted parole in July 2017 after only nine years.
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Simpson was discharged from parole in December 2021. "Mr. Simpson is a completely free man now," Simpson’s lawyer Malcolm LaVergne confirmed in a statement at the time.
In 2007, the television star released the book If I Did it: Confessions of the Killer, which was a hypothetical take on the murder of his former spouse and Goldman if he had been there. "People may think this is self-serving, but I might be sitting next to whoever did it. I really don’t know who did this," he said in a shocking 2021 interview.
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"I figured eventually somebody would confess to something, you know? I had one suspect I told my lawyers to look at. I still think he might be involved, but I can’t talk about it," Simpson added of who he thought was responsible for the infamous killings.
Despite his odd statements about the passing of his ex-wife, he felt grateful for the friends who stood by him during those turbulent times. "People truly care for me. You don’t know who truly cares about you until you’ve gone through some serious stuff, and I’ve gone through serious stuff. The media won’t say it, but that is my life. I’m living a good life now," he noted.