Orenthal James Simpson, known as Simpson, was a former NFL player, actor, and broadcaster.
His career was overshadowed by his trial and contentious acquittal for the murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
Earlier this month, it was announced that Simpson had passed away at the age of 76.
And now his cause of death has been confirmed.
Simpson was born on July 9, 1947, in San Francisco, California.
He became a college football star at the University of Southern California, ultimately winning the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 1968.
This award, given annually to the most outstanding player in college football, recognizes a combination of great ability, diligence, perseverance, and hard work.
Simpson went on to have a successful career in the National Football League (NFL), notably playing for the Buffalo Bills and later the San Francisco 49ers.
Simpson also pursued acting, with his most notable roles including Detective Nordberg in the 1988 cop spoof movie Naked Gun and Harry Jernigan in the 1974 disaster film Towering Inferno.
The former NFL player had three children, Arnelle, Jason, and Aaren, with his first wife, Marguerite Whitley, and two children, Sydney and Justin, with his second wife, Nicole Brown Simpson.
Tragically, Aaren died from accidental drowning shortly before turning two years old, as reported by The New York Times.
Simpson's life took a drastic turn in 1994 when he was arrested and subsequently charged in connection with the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.
Following what became known as the 'trial of the century,' Simpson was controversially found not guilty.
In a 1995 interview with The New York Times, Simpson stated, "I don't think most of America believes I did it. I've received thousands of letters and telegrams from people supporting me."
Despite the acquittal, Simpson's life continued to be plagued by legal troubles.
In 2007, Simpson was found guilty of robbery after an incident involving a memorabilia dealer, during which he claimed he was retrieving items that had been 'stolen' from him.
He received a sentence of 33 years in prison but was granted parole after serving just nine. In his later years, Simpson embraced his controversial reputation, as evidenced by his book titled 'If I Did It'.
The memoir speculated on how Simpson, the former NFL player, might have committed the murders of his ex-wife and Goldman, leading to widespread criticism.
Following a civil trial that found Simpson liable for the deaths as part of a $33.5 million wrongful death settlement against him, Goldman's family was granted the rights to the memoir by a Florida bankruptcy court.
They released the book under the new title 'If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer', as reported by Business Insider.
The family stated that a portion of the proceeds would go to the Ron Goldman Foundation for Justice, a non-profit organization established by the family, according to The Independent.
Simpson's family announced his passing on X, formerly Twitter, on April 11, 2024.
The announcement stated: "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."
Following the news of the former NFL player's death, Ron Goldman's father, Fred Goldman, expressed his grief to NBC News.
He said over the phone: "The only thing I have to say is, it's just a further reminder of Ron being gone all these years.
"It's no great loss to the world. It's a further reminder of Ron's being gone."
Former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner also took to social media and shared a brief but poignant response upon hearing the news.
"Good riddance," she said.
Simpson had been battling prostate cancer and spent time in hospice care as his health deteriorated.
Prostate cancer is among the most prevalent cancer types, with some cases progressing slowly while others are aggressive and spread rapidly, as stated by Mayo Clinic.
Earlier this year, Simpson addressed his followers on X, stating (via The Independent): "My health is good.
"Obviously, I'm dealing with some issues, but hey, I think I'm just about over it and I'll be back on that golf course hopefully in a couple of weeks."
Shortly before his passing, Simpson was discharged from hospice and returned home, where he passed away surrounded by his family.
Attorney Malcolm LaVergne recounted that during one of his last visits, Simpson was "on the couch … drinking a beer and watching TV," as reported by The Independent.
LaVergne recalled: "He's usually the one who keeps me up on the news… so we were just catching up on the news then."
LaVergne also told the Daily Mail: "O.J. wouldn't want anyone to feel sad for him. He'd tell you straight up, man, he's had a great life, happy life, certainly, he had his trials and tribulations, but his last seven years were fantastic, so he wouldn't want anyone feeling sorry for him.
"He would have liked a few more years to see his grandkids get a little bit older. But he was basically content at the end."
Now, Simpson's cause of death has been officially confirmed.
LaVergne informed the Los Angeles Times that the Clark County issued death certificate "just confirms what I think most people widely suspected anyway – it was prostate cancer. No other causes listed'.
"On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer." Simpson's family previously confirmed his passing.
LaVergne further confirmed that Simpson will be cremated, stating to People: "His entire body, his brain, everything, his fake hips, his fake knees, everything.
"That all goes into the crematorium."
There were reports of scientists requesting to study Simpson's brain for CTE, a brain disease associated with repeated head trauma, particularly prevalent among deceased professional football players.
LaVergne addressed this, stating to the New York Post: "With O.J. everything's wild, but I've been getting calls from medical centers that are doing CTE testing asking me for O.J.'s brain… that is not happening.
"I may consult with the children on it, but I haven't heard anything about it, so it's just not going to happen. O.J. wants all of his body cremated for his children to do what they see fit."
