Kato Kaelin was a struggling actor living in O.J. Simpson’s guesthouse the night that Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were murdered. He later became a key figure in Simpson’s murder trial, making headlines for his surfer-style appearance and conflicting testimony about Simpson’s demeanor shortly before the slayings.
Now 65 years old, Kaelin said in a video statement Thursday that he had been asked to comment on the news that Simpson died Wednesday from cancer at the age of 76.
“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,” Kaelin said in the message posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“I wish to express my love and compassion to the Goldmans, to Fred and to Kim,” he continued, referring to Goldman’s father and sister. “I hope you find closure.”
He then turned to Nicole’s three surviving sisters, Denise, Tanya, and Dominique: “And finally, to the family of the beautiful Nicole Brown Simpson, may we always cherish her memories,” he said. “Nicole was a beacon of light that burned bright, and may we never forget her.”
When he was placed on the witness stand at Simpson’s murder trial, Kaelin told jurors that the athlete seemed alternately “upset” and “nonchalant and relaxed” after seeing Nicole earlier in the day on June 12, 1994. It was later that same day in June 1994 that Nicole and Ron were viciously stabbed to death in a bloody scene outside Nicole’s Brentwood, Calif., home. Simpson was acquitted in the criminal trial but later found liable for the deaths in a civil proceeding.
After he was thrust into the international spotlight with his colorful and sometimes conflicting testimony in what became known as “The Trial of the Century,” Kalin parlayed his notoriety into appearances on The Weakest Link, Celebrity Boot Camp and Gimme My Reality Show! He’s now the cohost of the podcast One Degree of Scandalous.
It was Simpson’s children who announced his death, saying their father died Wednesday after a private battle with cancer. “He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace,” they said in a statement.
Shortly before the Super Bowl last February, Simpson posted a video on social media saying his health was good, adding, “I mean, obviously, I’m dealing with some issues, but I think I’m just about over it.”
