O.J. Simpson’s Cause of Death Revealed

O.J. Simpson‘s cause of death has been revealed. The former NFL star and controversial public figure reportedly died from metastatic prostate cancer. His family announced his death on April 11, a day after he died with his four adult children by his side.

Malcolm LaVergne, the former Hall of Fame football player’s longtime attorney and executor of his estate, confirmed the cause of death to People. “I was pretty certain it was prostate cancer; ultimately, that was the cause,” he tells the outlet.

“He thought he had beaten it,” he adds. “I thought this was done, but you know how cancers go. They come back, and they come back with a vengeance.”

Simpson, born Orenthal James Simpson, was unmarried at the time of his death. He married his first wife, Marguerite Whitley, when he was 19 years old, in 1968. Together, the former couple welcomed three children — daughter Arnelle, 55, son Jason, 53, and a daughter, Aaren, who died when she was just a year old after tragically drowning in the family’s swimming pool.

Simpson met his second wife, Nicole Brown, while still married to Whitley, in 1977. Simpson and Whitley divorced in 1979, and he continued to date Brown until they tied the knot in 1985. Together, they welcomed two children — daughter Sydney, 38, and son Justin, 35. Brown filed for divorce from Simpson in 1992.

The former athlete first revealed he was battling cancer in May 2023. He never specified the form of cancer, but suggested he’d beaten the disease.

In February, Simpson denied he was on hospice in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“I’m not in any hospice, I don’t know who put that out there,” Simpson said, not acknowledging the cancer rumors. “I guess it’s like the Donald say: ‘Can’t trust the media!'”

“In any event, I’m hosting a ton of friends for the Super Bowl here in Las Vegas. All is well!” he concluded his message. “Take care and have a good Super Bowl weekend!”

Simpson’s will was updated and signed by the late athlete on Jan. 25, and filed by Cassady Law Offices. The court documents obtained by ET explain that LaVergne was named as the “personal representative” and executor of the will with his son, Justin, being named his successor.

In his will, Simpson requested his property be placed into The Orenthal Simpson Revocable Living Trust, and also signed that his last wishes for his remains would be attached to the will itself.

Simpson died owing a significant amount of money to the families of his ex-wife, Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman, after he was accused of their murder in 1994. Although Simpson was found not guilty of both murders and acquitted of criminal charges, he was unanimously found liable for the wrongful death of and battery against Goldman and battery against Brown.

In 1997, a civil trial jury ordered Simpson to pay $33.5 million, which, with interest over the past 27 years has ballooned to over $100 million.

Regarding his debt, the will states that Simpson’s personal representative is to pay “costs of ancillary administration, expenses of my last illness and funeral, and at the discretion of my personal representative, to pay the cost of a suitable monument at my grave.”

The Goldman family attorney David Cook told People that Simpson only paid $133,000 of that judgment. “He died without penance. He did not want to give a dime, a nickel to Fred [Goldman, Ron’s father], never, anything, never,” Cook said of Simpson, adding that the judgment with accrued interest is now upwards of $114 million. “He [still] owes on the current status of the judgment.”

Speaking to NBC News, LaVergne said he would invite a legal representative of the Goldmans to review his findings as he calculates the worth of Simpson’s estate. “We can get this thing resolved in a calm and dispassionate manner,” LaVergne added.

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