What Was O.J. Simpson's Life Like After Acquittal? A Look at His Final Years Before Death

O.J. Simpson died on April 10, 2024 — nearly three decades after he was found not guilty of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and friend Ron Goldman

Nearly 30 years after O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, the former NFL running back has died.

His family revealed the news of his death on X (formerly Twitter), writing that Simpson had "succumbed to cancer" on April 10, 2024. He was 76 years old.

Though Simpson initially became famous for being one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, he achieved infamy after the brutal murders of his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Goldman, a part-time model and waiter.

Days after Nicole and Goldman were found stabbed to death on June 12, 1994, Simpson embarked on a wild police chase while driving a white Ford Bronco — and held a gun to his own head. He was eventually arrested and charged with double homicide, but was acquitted of the double-murders in what was dubbed the "The Trial of the Century."

Simpson maintained his innocence in the slayings for the rest of his life, but famously wrote a book, O.J. Simpson: If I Did It, that hypothetically told how he would've committed the murders if he were the killer, though publication was canceled before the book's release.

He later went to prison for an unrelated 2007 robbery case and served about nine years in prison, but the murders of his ex-wife and her friend still loomed even larger than his 6'1" frame nearly three decades later.

Related: The O.J. Nobody Knew — Read PEOPLE's July 4, 1994 Cover Story

His death in April 2024 came less than one year after he revealed that he had completed treatment for an unspecified type of cancer. "In recent years — really recent years — I unfortunately caught cancer, and so I had to do the whole chemo thing," he said in a video posted on X.

From his time spent in prison to his life in Las Vegas, here's a look back at O.J. Simpson's life after his 1994 murder trial and final days.

Where did O.J. Simpson live?

While Simpson moved to Florida with his children following his 1995 acquittal, he spent the final years of his life living in a gated community in Las Vegas, according to the New York Post.

"Life is fine," Simpson told the Associated Press in 2019. He added that he and his children don't discuss the murders of Nicole and Goldman, explaining, "We don't need to go back and relive the worst day of our lives." He added, "My family and I have moved on to what we call the 'no negative zone.' We focus on the positives."

Simpson frequently visited Florida, where his and Nicole's grown children Sydney and Justin live, and reportedly expressed interest in moving there. (He had a home in Miami that he purchased in 2000, but it was foreclosed while he was in prison for the Las Vegas robbery and since been demolished, per the New York Post.)

Why did O.J. Simpson go to prison?

Although Simpson was acquitted of murder charges in 1995, he was convicted of an unrelated crime exactly 13 years later.

On Sept. 16, 2007, Simpson and several associates were accused of setting up a meeting with memorabilia buyers Bruce L. Fromong and Alfred Beardsley in a Las Vegas casino hotel room. Fromong and Beardsley had autographed Simpson memorabilia, as well as Simpson's suit that he wore in court when he was acquitted of Nicole and Goldman's murders, that they believed they were going to sell. Instead, Simpson and his associates allegedly rushed into the room with guns, stole the memorabilia (which they hid in pillowcases) and fled the scene.

A memorabilia collector, Thomas Riccio, recorded the incident. The New York Times reported that at the time of his arrest, Simpson claimed that he didn't commit any crimes, that he was merely getting back "stolen stuff" that belonged to him and that "nobody was roughed up." Simpson's attorney at the time, Yale L. Galanter, said that Simpson was set up by investigators and had no criminal intent regarding the incident.

Simpson was convicted of two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of conspiracy to commit burglary and one count of burglary with a firearm.

Simpson attempted to appeal his convictions, but was denied.

On Dec. 5, 2008, Simpson was sentenced to 33 years in prison for the Las Vegas robbery, with parole eligibility after nine years.

When was O.J. Simpson released from prison?

In July 2017, Simpson was granted parole, with the parole board citing his family support, good behavior behind bars and completion of anti-violence classes while incarcerated as reasons for his early release.

"I've spent nine years making no excuses about anything. I am sorry that things turned out the way they did. I had no intent to commit a crime," he said in his parole hearing.

Simpson was released from prison on Oct. 1, 2017, with parole conditions including abstaining from large quantities of alcohol and avoiding association with ex-convicts or people involved with crime. Brooke Keast, a spokeswoman for the Nevada Department of Corrections, recalled her exchange with Simpson before his exit.

"I told him, 'Don't come back,' and he responded, 'I don't intend to,' " she said. "He was upbeat, personable and seemed happy to get on with his life."

Simpson remained under parole until Sept. 29, 2022. At the end of his parole term, Simpson's attorney announced him as a "completely free man."

Tanya Brown, Nicole's sister, told PEOPLE that she didn't care about Simpson's freedom.

"If he chooses to try to live life as a decent human being in the world, then hey — go for it. If he wants to try to get his life together, fine. If he chooses to go the other way, fine. I just don't care," she said. "But the minute he messes up, he should be treated just like everybody else. If you speed, you’re going to get a ticket. If you break the law, you are going to get in trouble. I don’t think he should be treated any different."

Goldman's father Ron and sister Kim told PEOPLE in a statement, "While we respect the Nevada Parole Board’s decision to release Simpson, it's still difficult for us knowing he will be a free man again. We will continue pursuing the now $60 million judgment awarded to our family after the jury found that Simpson willfully and wrongfully caused the deaths of Ron and Nicole, as well as remain dedicated in our commitment to domestic violence awareness, victim advocacy and judicial reform."

What did O.J. Simpson say about his health?

In May 2023, then-75-year-old Simpson revealed in a video posted on X that he underwent chemotherapy for an undisclosed type of cancer.

"In recent years — really recent years — I unfortunately caught cancer, and so I had to do the whole chemo thing," he shared in the four-minute clip. He went on to say that he began smoking mariujana to help with the "nausea" some of his close friends said he would experience.

"I'm over the COVID stuff. I'm sorry, I mean chemo. I'm over that I had COVID and cancer at the same time, unfortunately, but I'm over the chemo," he continued. "I only got nausea on two occasions, and it only lasted about two or three minutes, so I thought the pot really helped me with the unfortunate side of catching cancer."

He ended the video saying he was "healthy now," adding, "It looks like I beat it. I'm happy about that."

Two months later, the former NFL player denied reports that he'd had a heart attack in another video posted on X.

"I didn’t realize I had a heart attack until I read it in the news today," he captioned the clip.

Most recently, in February 2024, Simpson denied reports that he was in hospice care after WPLG stated that he had "been reportedly telling his friends and family that he's been hearing rumors that he's in hospice care."

"Hey, X world! Hospice? Hos-pice?! You talkin' about hospice? No, I'm not in any hospice. I don't know who put that out there," he said in a video on X. Simpson also announced that was still in Las Vegas and was "hosting a ton of friends for the Super Bowl."

What happened to O.J. Simpson's kids?

Simpson's children are all adults and tend to stay out of the limelight.

His daughter Arnelle, whom he shared with ex-wife Marguerite, along with his and Nicole's daughter Sydney and son Justin, all live in the St. Petersburg area of Florida. Sydney got a degree in sociology from Boston University, and she and Justin both work in real estate and maintain low profiles, save for attending their cousin Sean Brown's wedding to bakery owner and former reality star Casey Reinhardt in 2016.

Simpson and Marguerite's son Jason reportedly lives in Georgia and works as a chef in Atlanta.

According to the New York Post, his daughter Arnelle stayed with him often at his Las Vegas home.

At the time of his death on April 10, Simpson 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," read a statement announcing the athlete's death.

Related: Where Are O.J. Simpson’s Kids Now? What to Know About Arnelle, Jason, Sydney and Justin

What did O.J. Simpson say about the murders of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman?

Simpson spoke to ESPN's Dan Patrick in 2001, telling the sportscaster that he rarely was asked about the trial after it ended and that most people he encountered afterward wished him well.

"Everywhere I go people are positive, and I travel a lot. I go everywhere," he said. "And you can spend a weekend with me and not hear one negative thing that is said toward me. And not one word about the trial." He added that older women often checked in to see how he and his children were doing, noting, "I get [comments] like that more than [ones saying] I'm a murderer or something like that, something negative."

In 2006, Simpson wrote a book called O.J. Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How I Did It, a hypothetical examination of Nicole and Goldman's murders. Publisher Judith Regan said that while in the book Simpson did not say he's guilty of the slayings, "In my view, this is his confession." Due to backlash, including from Goldman's family, the book's publication was canceled before its release. The book was later released with proceeds going to the Goldman family for their civil lawsuit against Simpson, per Variety.

In an interview with Regan recorded in 2006 and airing 12 years later, Simpson hypothetically described disposing of bloody clothes and getting the knife used in the murders from a friend named Charlie. He also said, "Ron and Nicole were physically dead and it was almost like they killed me. Who I was was attacked and murdered also in that short period of time." Simpson blamed Nicole's murder on friends she made after they split.

In an October 2023 appearance on the Calm Down with Erin and Charissa podcast, Patrick recalled that during his 2001 interview with Simpson, the disgraced football legend asked him a pointed question.

"We're just sitting next to each other, like four feet apart, and he goes, 'You think I did it?' I go, 'Did what?' I wanted him to say it," Patrick recalled. "So I said, 'Did what?' He goes, 'Kill those two people.' I said, 'Yes.' "

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