Hours after the death of O.J. Simpson was confirmed by his family, Kim and Fred Goldman broke their silence on his passing, expressing the complex feelings they were met with while remembering their murdered family member, Ron Goldman.
“The news of Ron’s killer passing away is a mixed bag of complicated emotions and reminds us that the journey through grief is not linear,” Kim, Ron’s sister, and Fred, Ron’s dad, said in a statement on Thursday, April 11, about the man who – though acquitted of murder charges in 1995 – was found liable for the wrongful death of Ron. “For three decades, we have tirelessly pursued justice for Ron and Nicole [Brown Simpson], and despite a civil judgment and his confession in If I Did It, the hope for true accountability has ended.”
Their statement continued, “We will continue to advocate for the rights of all victims and survivors, ensuring our voices are heard both within and beyond the courtroom. And despite his death, the mission continues; there’s always more work to be done. Thank you for keeping our family and most importantly Ron, in our hearts for the last 30 years.”
Simpson died at the age of 76 following a battle with cancer, his family confirmed in a statement one day after his passing. Though some remembered him for his football career, many associate Simpson with the high-profile killings of Ron and Nicole and subsequent murder trial that took over the lives of many in the 1990s.
From November 1994 until October 1995, the world watched as prosecutors fought their case against Simpson. In a shocking turn of events, he was found not guilty of the two murders, ultimately being found liable for wrongful death and battery against Ron thanks to a civil suit in 1997.
In the aftermath of Simpson’s death, Ron’s stepmother, Patti Goldman, exclusively spoke to In Touch about the complicated feelings that arose.
“It’s just another reminder of how long Ron has been gone,” Patti exclusively told In Touch. “It just brings everything up again.”
Ron’s parents, Fred and Sharon Rufo, divorced when he was just 6 years old, but Ron maintained a good relationship with his father. His sister Kim, meanwhile, has dedicated her life to working as a victims’ rights advocate.
“Before my brother was brutally killed in 1994, I was studying to be a child psychologist,” Kim attested on her website. “After his death and subsequent trials, I left that goal behind and just did what I could to make it through each day and to slowly begin to rebuild my shattered life. … I am the founding Co-Chair of The Ron Goldman Foundation for Justice as well as a member of the California District Attorney’s Association, Victims Rights Committee, and served on the Advisory Committee for Crime Survivors, Inc.,” she continued, noting the ways in which her life was changed after Ron’s passing.
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