O.J. Simpson Dies at 76

NFL Star and Convicted Murderer Loses Battle With Prostate Cancer

Photo by Don Cormier / CC BY 4.0 / Cropped from original

O.J. Simpson, former NFL player and actor who was arrested in 1994 for the murders of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her supposed lover Ronald Goldman, died in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 10, at 76 from prostate cancer.

“I was at home, in my backyard scrolling through TikTok and I scroll, and I just see O.J. Simpson dead,” senior Jose Alfaro said. “My initial reaction was like ‘wow there's no way he died before the case was finally closed and they figured out he did it.’”

Simpson’s family informed the social media platform X of his death, saying, "On April 10th, our father, Orenthal 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.”

“I got a news notification, and it said O.J. Simpson dead,” senior Kenley Robinson said. “I had heard about the case, and I had been looking into it and then he died.”

Simpson was widely known for his famous roles including a Heisman Trophy-winning tailback for the University of Southern California, commentator for "Monday Night Football” and an actor in several movies including “The Naked Gun,” “No Place to Hide” and “Hambone and Hillie.” While these were significant roles he played, he is known by most for murdering his wife Brown Simpson and her friend Goldman on June 12, 1994.

“I just saw it online because it was blowing up,” senior Charles Rust said. “All I knew about him was that he was just a famous NFL player.”

Simpson went on trial from the months of November 1994 to October 1995 where he was found not guilty of the murders. Two years after being acquitted for the murders, Simpson was found guilty in February 1997.

“I feel like it could have been skewed because he was so famous and there was probably a lot of powerful people involved in it,” Rust said. “I don't think the trial was as fair as it could be.”

Since his death, Simpson has been cremated and his lawyer stated he will not have a public memorial service.

“I think it’ll be a great story for the NFL, but I don’t think it’ll have any impact on the world or anything else,” Alfaro said.