O.J. Simpson’s life in Florida: What we know about his days after murder acquittal

Football star, actor and man accused of stabbing his ex-wife O.J Simpson died Wednesday of prostate cancer, according to a social media post attributed to the Simpson family.

"On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,'' the post on X, formerly Twitter, reads. "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.''

Simpson, 76, was a 1968 Heisman Trophy-winning running back for the University of Southern California. During his time in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills he was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Handsome and charismatic, Simpson parleyed his fame into a pitchman and acting career, most notably running and hurtling his way through airports in rental car commercials and as an accident-prone officer in the madcap "Naked Gun" movies based on the "Police Squad" shows. But he is best known for a low-speed chase through Los Angeles and the murder trial that gripped the nation. He was acquitted of the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, found stabbed to death outside her Los Angeles home, but was later found responsible in a civil trial.

Simpson was also, briefly, a Florida man.

Did O.J. Simpson live in Florida?

In 2000, five years after his acquittal in the sensational must-see-TV murder trial that gripped the nation, Simpson bought a 4,148 square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bathroom home at 9450 SW 112th St in Miami's Killian neighborhood for $575,000. He lived there with his two children Sydney and Justin for several years.

O. J. Simpson ran into legal trouble in Florida

Simpson led a fairly low-key life in the Sunshine State, playing golf, visiting local restaurants and posing for pictures with fans. But his court problems weren't over just yet.

In 2000, Simpson was accused of felony burglary and misdemeanor battery charges after a road rage incident when a man accused him of scratching his face while Simpson reached into his vehicle window and pulled off his sunglasses. Simpson was acquitted.

In 2001, Simpson's home and nine more Miami residences were searched by federal authorities and local police during an investigation on an international Ecstasy drug ring and the theft of pay-per-view satellite TV programming, according to the L. A. Times. Nine people were arrested but nothing was found in Simpson's house, his lawyer said.

In 2002, Simpson avoided jail time and paid a $130 fine for speeding a boat through a manatee zone.

In 2003, police came to the house when Simpson's daughter Sydney, then 17, called 911 to help with what she called "an abuse thing." She told police she and her father had been arguing over family issues but no charges were filed.

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O. J. Simpson found guilty of armed robbery, loses Miami home

Simpson was acquitted of the murders. He was later found responsible for the killings and ordered to pay the victim's families $33.5 million in a civil trial in 1997. But it was an attempt to steal back his sports memorabilia that put Simpson behind bars.

He was convicted in 2008 for armed robbery, kidnapping and other charges involving two sports memorabilia dealers in Las Vegas and sentenced to 33 years. While he was in prison, JPMorgan Chase Bank foreclosed on the Miami home in 2012.

Simpson coming back to Florida?

Simpson was granted parole after nine years and announced his intention to move back to Florida. His attorney said there was "no doubt" Simpson would be coming back here. A friend in Naples, Tom Scotto, told the Naples Daily News multiple times that Simpson was coming to live with him.

Then-Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi wasn't on board with this plan and attempted to block his move back, saying "Our state should not become a country club for this convicted criminal." Simpson ultimately remained in Nevada.

O. J. Simpson's Florida home demolished

Simpson's Miami home remained on the market for nearly two years before it was bought for $543,200 million in 2014 by Global Rental E & P and then sold to Southern Farms International for $1.2 million, according to Miami-Dade Property Appraiser records. The last registered owners were Carlos and Ivon Guerrero, who bought the property for $1.2 million in 2019.

The New York Post reported that the property was destroyed in 2022. The lot is currently listed for $2.4 million.

O. J. Simpson's children remained in Florida for years

Simpson's children Justin, 35, and Sydney, 38, continued to lived in Florida as recently as 2017 and Justin Simpson, who attended Florida State University, is still listed as being employed in St. Pete in his LinkedIn profile. The profile also says Justin lives in Las Vegas. The siblings managed homes and other properties in Florida.

What kind of cancer did O. J. Simpson die from?

Simpson was reportedly diagnosed with prostate cancer and NBC Sports reported he was undergoing chemotherapy. Simpson himself debunked rumors he was in hospice with a post to X: "Hospice? Hospice? No, I am not in any hospice. I don’t know who put that out there,” he said. “All is well.”

In his final post on Feb. 11, he thanked fans for their well wishes.

"Hey, let me take a moment to say thank you to all the people who reached out to me," he said from poolside in Las Vegas. "My health is good. Obviously, I'm dealing with some issues.

"But I think I'm just about over it and I'll be back on that golf course, hopefully in a couple of weeks."

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: OJ Simpson cancer death and his short stay in Florida