Brian “Kato” Kaelin, who was a witness in O.J. Simpson’s 1995 murder trials, released a statement in the wake of his death.
“I’ve been asked to comment on the death of O.J. Simpson,” Kaelin said via Instagram on Thursday, April 11. “Foremost, I’d like to express my condolences to the children, to Sydney and to Justin, to Jason and Arnelle, they lost their father, and that is never easy.”
He continued: “I wish to express my love and compassion to the Goldmans, to Fred and to Kim, I hope you find closure. And finally, to the family of the beautiful Nicole Brown Simpson, may we always cherish her memories. Nicole was a beacon of light that burned bright. May we never forget her.”
In 1994, Simpson’s ex-wife, Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman (a close friend of Brown Simpson) were found stabbed to death outside of her Los Angeles home.
Kaelin was living in the Simpson’s guest house at the time and one of the prosecution’s key witnesses. He alleged that he couldn’t account for Simpson’s whereabouts during the time of the murders.
After a low-speed Bronco chase through the city and highways in Los Angeles, Simpson was arrested and subsequently charged with the murders, for which he was acquitted.
Simpson was later found liable for the wrongful death of and battery against Ron in a civil suit filed by Ron’s family. Simpson was ordered to pay $33.5 million to the victims’ families.
News broke on Thursday that Simpson died at the age of 76 after a battle with cancer. “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren,” the Simpson family shared in a statement via X. “During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.”
After Simpson’s death was announced, Ron’s dad, Fred, broke his silence, telling Us Weekly in a statement, “The only thing I have to say is that today is a further reminder of how long Ron has been gone and how long we have missed him. The only thing that is truly important today are the victims.”
In February, it was reported that Simpson was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, but he never publicly confirmed his diagnosis. After speculation began that Simpson was in hospice, he took to social media to deny the rumors.
“Hospice? Hospice?! You talkin’ about hospice?” Simpson said in a video posted via X in February. “No, I’m not in any hospice. I don’t know who put that out there.”
