OJ Simpson died of cancer on Wednesday evening local time, writes TMZ.
The family also confirms this in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) April 11, 2024
“10. April our father, Orenthal James Simpson, lost his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this transitional phase, his family asks that their wishes for privacy and grace be respected,” the statement said.
In 2008, Simpson was sentenced to 33 years in prison for armed robbery and kidnapping, but with the possibility of parole after nine years.
Disappeared without a trace after the release. This is OJ Simpson’s new life
He has been on parole since he completed his prison term in October 2017.
Simpson was also charged with the murder of his ex-wife and her friend in 1994, but was acquitted after what many have called “the trial of the century” in the United States in 1995. Almost 30 years later, the case is still widely discussed in the media.
– Like greit
The death has caused attention worldwide, and one of those who remembers the star is Caitlyn Jenner (74), formerly married to Kris Jenner (68), who was a close friend of Simpson.
On the app X, Caitlyn Jenner writes: “Good riddance”, followed by a tag with the 76-year-old’s name. An unflattering expression that can be translated as “just as well” in Norwegian.
Kris Jenner was previously married to Robert Kardashian who was one of the defenders of OJ Simpson. Kardashian is also the father of Khourtney (44), Kim (43), Khloe (39) and Rob Kardashian (37).
FAMILY PHOTO: The Kardashian family went on holiday with OJ Simpson and his ex-wife Nicole Brown just a few weeks before the murder of the latter. Photo: Splash News/NTB Show more
Murder suspect
The star player in American football retired from the sport in 1979, and in the following years became a well-known television commentator and actor. After his football career, he had roles in a number of Hollywood films and TV series, and for many years he was also a well-known figure from the advertising campaigns of the car rental company Hertz.
MARRIED COUPLE: OJ Simpson and ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson. Photo: AP Photo/Pool, Myung J. Chun/NTB Show more
In 1985, he married Nicole Brown, but just seven years later, in 1992, she filed for divorce.
In the summer of 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman, were found brutally murdered outside Brown’s residence in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Here the tracks quickly led to her former husband OJ Simpson.
USANT: It has been quiet from OJ Simpson since he was released from prison two years ago. Recently, he posted a video on Twitter, in which he denied several rumors about him. Photos: NTB Scanpix. Video: @TheRealOJ32 Show more
Five days later, on 17 June 1994, the world witnessed the famous car chase. Prior to this, Simpson had been told to report to the police.
Acquitted
Following the arrest, a deep racial divide was revealed in the United States, and several Americans were shocked by the acquittal for the knife murders of his ex-wife and her friend.
In a civil lawsuit, he was later ordered to pay 33.5 million dollars, equivalent to almost 364 million Norwegian kroner, in compensation to the two victims’ families.
CAR CHASE: OJ Simpson sat in a white Ford Bronco (th) during the famous car chase. Photo: AP Photo/Joseph Villarin/NTB Show more
The football star was convicted in 2008 of armed robbery, assault and kidnapping in Las Vegas. The world‘s eyes were on Simpson when the Nevada parole board decided his fate.
ACQUITTED: Simpson pictured during the trial in 1994, where he was acquitted of stabbing his ex-wife and her friend. Lawyers F. Lee Bailey (tv) and Johnnie Cochran Jr. (th) defended Simpson in the trial. Photo: AP Photo/Pool/Myung J. Chun/NTB Show more
Simpson served nine years at Lovelock Prison in Nevada, before being paroled on October 1, 2017.
ARRESTED: The police photo of OJ Simpson was released by the Los Angeles Police Department. Photo: Handout/Los Angeles Police Department/AFP/NTB Show more
There was a big fight among the media to be the first to interview Simpson as a free man. Simpson has previously explained that he received several offers to appear in interviews during his time in prison, but that he chose to decline this.
When he was released, the former football star stated that he “had no interest in getting involved with the press” either.
Cancer patient
The OJ Simpson case has been the subject of a number of books and TV series. 2016 also saw the eight-hour long documentary “OJ: Made in America” and the mini-series “The People v. OJ Simpson”.
Simpson had allegedly been fighting prostate cancer in recent years, and TMZ writes that his health had worsened recently.
OJ Simpson mentioned the cancer for the first time in 2023, and the family now confirms that he died as a result of the disease.