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A new report from the New York Times suggests that a deceased mob informant, Joseph Ippolito, may have helped O.J. Simpson dispose of a possible murder weapon in the 1994 killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. The report is based on documents unsealed after 30 years, revealing Ippolito's involvement in the case.
Ippolito, a convicted drug smuggler with mob ties, escaped from a Florida prison in 1994 and traveled to Southern California. He was a close friend of Simpson and his confidante, Al Cowlings. After being recaptured, Ippolito provided federal authorities with information about the murders, including the alleged location of the murder weapon, as reported by the Orange County Register.
According to the Guardian, Ippolito's brother, Sam Ippolito, initially told the Times that he disposed of a bag containing a large object and Joseph's bloody clothes after Joseph went out to "help a friend" on the night of the murders. However, Sam later recanted his story when the newspaper refused to pay him.
The Los Angeles Police Department stated that the Simpson case "remains an open and ongoing investigation" and that they are obligated to pursue justice if new evidence emerges. Marcia Clark, the lead prosecutor in Simpson's criminal trial, told the Times she was unaware of Ippolito's information during the trial.
Simpson was acquitted of the murders in 1995 but was found liable in a civil trial in 1997. He passed away in 2024. The extent of Ippolito's involvement remains unclear, with authorities expressing skepticism about the value of his information.