New Clues in O.J. Simpson Case Emergent from Federal Investigation

A fresh investigation by the New York Times suggests that convicted drug trafficker Joseph “Joey” Ippolito, who had connections to the mafia, might have assisted O.J. Simpson in concealing the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in 1994. Secret federal records uncovered in the investigation allege that Ippolito returned on the night of the murders with blood on his hands.

Joey Ippolito, a known associate of both Simpson and Al Cowlings, allegedly went back to a Los Angeles apartment carrying a suspicious bag with a heavy item, according to a statement by his brother, Sam Ippolito. The revelations from this investigation have prompted new questions and skepticism.

Previously sealed federal court records reveal that Ippolito provided authorities with details about the alleged disposal of the murder weapon by Simpson, which was never found. The investigation suggests that Joey’s brother, Sam, saw blood on his hands after he had left the apartment to assist a friend. Joey then reportedly placed his clothes into the bag and asked Sam to get rid of it. Sam disposed of the bag in a dumpster near Doheny Drive, Los Angeles.

Sam Ippolito also reported hearing Joey speaking to Cowlings about “helping” Simpson that night. Joey Ippolito, who fled a Florida prison in May 1994, later became a federal informant following his arrest in August 1995, coinciding with the close of Simpson’s murder trial.

“Remarkable source of information,” said David Kelley, the then-federal prosecutor, about Joey Ippolito’s cooperation in providing insights into Simpson’s alleged actions.

The New York Times confirmed that Joey’s information was shared with Los Angeles prosecutors during the trial, yet he never testified. Former prosecutor Marcia Clark stated to the Times that Joey’s name was never known to her, and she would have been informed if his evidence was credible.

Sam Ippolito’s account has faced scrutiny, with reports he later sought payment from the Times and requested to recant his statements due to confusion over their veracity. Friends and family, remembering Joey Ippolito, who passed away in 2006, contested claims of his involvement in the murders.

Attempts to get a comment from Cowlings by the Times went unanswered as new questions now surface regarding possible assistance Simpson received on the night of the incident. Although Simpson was acquitted in 1995, he was later deemed liable in a civil case. He passed away in April 2024, aged 76.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that the inquiry into the 1994 double murder remains an open investigation.