25 Years After the Deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman O.J. Simpson Says "Life Is Fine"

June 12, 2019

O.J. Simpson at his home in Las Vegas [Didier J. Fabien via AP]

O.J. Simpson at his home in Las Vegas [Didier J. Fabien via AP]

By: Catherine Townsend

Twenty-five years after the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman and twenty-four after he was acquitted of the grisly murders O.J. Simpson is enjoying his life in Las Vegas.

In an instant, Simpson went from Hall of Fame football hero and beloved actor to one of the most controversial and polarizing public figures in America. Despite this Simpson says that his life today is, for the most part, healthy and happy, and he opts not to go into detail about the night that Nicole and Ron were murdered. "We don't need to go back and relive the worst day of our lives," Simpson said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press. "The subject of the moment is the subject I will never revisit again. My family and I have moved on to what we call the 'no negative zone.' We focus on the positives."

In 1994 O.J. Simpson was arrested and charged with Ron and Nicole's murders, who were found stabbed to death early on the morning of June 13th outside Nicole’s Brentwood condominium in California. After the "Trial of the Century" which made international headlines O.J. Simpson was acquitted by a jury in 1995. In a 1997 civil trial he was found to be liable for the wrongful death of Brown and Goldman and was ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages. According to ABC News only a small part of the judgement has been paid.

In 2008, Simpson and a co-defendant were found guilty on 12 charges (including armed robbery and kidnapping) in an incident in a Las Vegas hotel room involving taking sports memorabilia by gunpoint, including some items that Simpson claimed were stolen from him. After serving almost nine years in a Nevada prison he was released in October 2017. Simpson believed at the time that the sentence was unjust, but said later: "I believe in the legal system and I honored it. I served my time."

Simpson explained to the Associated Press that he chose to remain in Las Vegas rather than returning to Florida. "The town has been good to me," he said. "Everybody I meet seems to be apologizing for what happened to me here."

Today, Simpson says that people are kind to him - and often stop him to ask for selfies. He told the AP that he plays golf regularly and, following a knee replacement and laser surgery on his eyes, that he is in good health and remains close to his children. He has been given permission to travel to Florida to visit his children Justin and Sydney, who work in real estate. His daughter Arnelle lives with him in Las Vegas most of the time. "I've been to Florida two or three times to see the kids and my old buddies in Miami. I even managed to play a game of golf with them," he said. "But I live in a town I've learned to love. Life is fine."

For the family of Ron Goldman however, moving past the brutal murders has not been an option. "Closure isn't a word that resonates with me. I don't think it's applicable when it comes to tragedy and trauma and loss of life," Nicole's sister Kim Goldman said. "I don't suffocate in my grief," she said. "But every milestone that my kid hits, every milestone that I hit, you know, those are just reminders of what I'm not able to share with my brother and what he is missing out on." Kim Goldman has announced that she plans to launch a 10-week podcast, "Confronting: O.J. Simpson," in which she will continue to make the case that Simpson was guilty.

Today, Simpson says that he lives on pensions - but did not discuss his finances in detail.

Next Up

Vegas Politician Upset Over Articles Exposing ‘Potential Wrongdoing’ Accused Of Killing Reporter

Robert Telles allegedly stabbed investigative journalist Jeff German multiple times during a surprise attack, authorities say.

Rapper Blueface Arrested For Attempted Murder

The 25-year-old was arrested in Las Vegas on Nov. 15 in regards to an October incident.

Who Killed Biggie & Tupac? The Question Remains Over 25 Years Later

Over a quarter-century after the greatest rappers from the East and West Coast were murdered, rumors and theories about their deaths continue to run rampant.

Three Men Charged In Killing Of Hip-Hop Legend Jam Master Jay

The Run-DMC DJ was shot to death in a Queens recording studio in October 2002.

Did A Social Media Post Lead To The Robbery And Killing Of Rapper PnB Rock?

The Philadelphia native rapper was shot at Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles in Los Angeles, California on Sept. 12, 2022.

Believe It Or Not, Scott Peterson, Convicted Wife-Killer, Has Groupies

Since Peterson first got arrested in 2003, admirers have continually loaded his prison bank account with donations.

True Crime News Roundup: Arrest Made In Fatal Shooting Of A Military Mother Visiting Her Son’s Grave

Plus: Woman accused of using kiss to pass drugs to inmate boyfriend who overdosed; authorities limit search for California teen who went missing after graduation party; Salman Rushdie attacker pleads not guilty; and ex-cop in Kansas suspected of 10-year sex-assault spree, police say.

Cold Case Victim Identified As Southern California Mother 27 Years After Her Murder

A female body was found near a highway in the Moreno Valley area of California in 1996. After 27 years, she has been identified as 41-year-old Juana Rosas-Zagal.

5 Key Facts About The Jessica Chambers Murder Case

Jessica Chambers suffered an agonizing death: Firefighters saw her walking toward them, wearing only her underwear & burned over 93 percent of her body.