Ron Goldman's Dad Fred Speaks Out After O.J. Simpson's Death

O.J. Simpson's death is "no great loss" to the family of the late Ron Goldman.

In fact, after news of the former NFL player's passing emerged on April 11, Ron's dad Fred Goldman told NBC News it's "just further reminder of Ron being gone all these years."

It's been nearly 30 years since Ron and O.J.'s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson were killed in a fatal stabbing outside of her home in Brentwood, Calif., in June 1994.

And although O.J.—who shared kids Sydney, 38, and Justin, 35, with Nicole—was the main suspect in the case, even being charged with Ron and Nicole's murders days later, leading to that infamous Ford Bronco car chase by police as he attempted to avoid being arrested, he was later acquitted in October 1995 following a highly-publicized trial.

However, the families of Ron and Nicole later filed a civil lawsuit against the former NFL player for wrongful death. And in 1997, a jury found O.J. liable for the pair's deaths, ordering him to pay about $33.5 million, per Reuters.

After the verdict, Fred said, "We finally have justice for Ron and Nicole."

Although, according to NBC News, the damages were "never paid in full."

While O.J. avoided jail time in the double murder trial, he did serve time in prison a decade later for a separate case involving stolen memorabilia.

In September 2007, O.J., along with a group of five other men, broken into a room at a Las Vegas hotel to seize "several items he believed were his property," according to NBC News. Those items included game balls and plaques.

He was later found guilty of armed robbery and 11 other charges in the case and, in December 2008, was sentenced to 33 years in prison. However, he was released on parole in October 2017.

At a hearing months before his release, O.J. apologized for his actions. 

"I've done my time. I'd just like to get back to my family and friends," he said, per NBC News. "I'm sorry it happened. I'm sorry to Nevada. I thought I was glad to get my stuff back, but it wasn't worth it."

In recent years, O.J. made headlines over the state of his health. 

And on April 11, his family confirmed his death in a message on social media. 

"On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer," a statement, posted to the 76-year-old's page on X, read. "He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren."

"During this time of transition," the message concluded, "his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."

O.J. is survived by Sydney and Justin, as well as kids Arnelle Simpson, 55, and Jason Simpson, 53, from his first marriage to Marguerite Whitley. The former couple also welcomed daughter Aaren Simpson in 1977, though she passed away in an accidental drowning before the age of 2, per The New York Times.

To revisit O.J.'s life in photos, keep reading...

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Simpson was born in 1947 and started his football career at the City College of San Francisco. After playing for two seasons and being named a junior college All-American, Simpson transferred and started playing  for the University of Southern California's Trojans in 1967. 

The following year, he won the Heisman Trophy.

Following his college football career, the running back entered the NFL and played for the Buffalo Bills from 1969 to 1977.

In addition to playing football, Simpson explored acting—including in the movie The Klansman. He later appeared in The Towering Inferno, Killer Force and The Cassandra Crossing. 

Simpson attended the Cannes Film Festival with producer Patrick Wachsberger in 1975.

Simpson was married to Marguerite Whitley from 1967 to 1979. Together, they welcomed three children: Arnelle, Jason and Aaren. Aaren died following a drowning accident in 1979.

The family is pictured at their home in 1975.

Following his near-decade with the Bills, the athlete joined the San Francisco 49ers, where he played for a two seasons before retiring from football.

Simpson pictured here posing with his Ferrari at Warner Bros Studios.

After playing the game, Simpson became a sports analyst. Here, he can be seen covering a game for NBC in 1980. 

Simpson married Nicole Brown in 1985, the same year they welcomed their first child together, Sydney, and Simpson was inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.

Here, the pair is pictured at an Oscars viewing party in 1983.

Simpson and Brown also welcomed a son, Justin, in 1988. The couple divorced four years later in 1992.

Here the family is pictured at the Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult premiere in 1994—the same year that she was killed.

In June 1994, Simpson was accused of murdering Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. He took off in a white Bronco, and millions of people watched the televised police chase.

Simpson's 1994 mug shot after his arrest.

Simpson went to trial in 1995, and the case captured the nation. He pleaded not guilty and was acquitted on all counts.

He was found liable for Brown and Goldman's deaths in 1997 in a civil lawsuit filed by their families and was ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages,  according to The New York Times.

Simpson would make headlines again when he penned the book If I Did It, with the Goldman family later successfully suing for the manuscript and adding the subhead Confessions of the Killer.

However, these wouldn't be Simpson's last trials. In 2008, he was found guilty of armed robbery, kidnapping and 10 additional charges that were in regard to a memorabilia robbery in Las Vegas, and he was sentenced to nine to 33 years in prison, per The New York Times. He served nine years in prison before he was released on parole.

 Simpson speaking at a parole hearing.

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