Mob Informant Told Investigators About Missing OJ Simpson Murder Weapon, Unsealed Files Reveal

Newly unsealed federal court documents reveal that a secret mob informant, described as "extremely reliable," informed investigators about the missing murder weapon used in the 1994 killings of O.J. Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend Ronald Goldman. The informant also reportedly provided information regarding the former couple's alleged drug use.

Simpson was acquitted of the murder charges in October 1995. However, 16 months later, he was found liable for the wrongful deaths of Brown and Goldman in a civil trial. The knife used in the killings was never recovered, fueling speculation about the possibility of an accomplice. Simpson maintained his innocence until his death in 2024 at the age of 76.

The information emerged from a 1996 letter, unsealed at the request of The New York Times, which urged leniency for convicted drug trafficker Joseph "Joey" Ippolito. According to the letter, an assistant U.S. attorney informed a federal judge about valuable intelligence provided by the informant, much of which pertained to narcotics and the mafia. The letter stated that Ippolito was "privy to many facts" from the 1994 murders, including "Mr. Simpson's alleged domestic violence, the Simpsons' narcotics usage, Mr. Simpson's attempted flight from justice, and his disposal of the murder weapon."

Although Ippolito was not called as a witness, his cooperation after his arrest was deemed "very helpful" by Los Angeles authorities, according to the letter. Ippolito, who died in 2006, was a restaurateur with alleged mob ties and had been arrested for drug trafficking prior to the Goldman-Brown murders.

Further details emerged from Ippolito's brother, Sam, who spoke to The Times. Sam Ippolito claimed that he and his brother were in West Hollywood on the night of the murders and that Joey left to help a friend, returning with what appeared to be blood on his hands and a bag containing a heavy object. However, Sam Ippolito later denied these comments to the Daily Mail, stating that his brother was "in hiding" at the time and not out after 10 p.m., the suspected time of the murders.

The Times reported that Sam Ippolito had requested compensation from the news outlet for his story, a claim he denied to the Daily Mail. He stated he was offered "a ton of money" to tell his story to another outlet, which he refused.

Joey Ippolito, who owned a Santa Monica restaurant, was connected to Al Cowlings, a close friend and former teammate of Simpson. Cowlings was driving the white Ford Bronco in the infamous low-speed chase with Simpson in the passenger seat on June 17, 1994, before Simpson surrendered at his home.

Records indicate that Ippolito had provided assistance to Cowlings with a cocaine habit, and in return, Cowlings had intervened to help Ippolito get released on bail in 1993 while awaiting trial on drug charges. After being sentenced to 10 years, Ippolito escaped from a minimum-security prison camp in May 1994 and became a federal informant after being apprehended.

The letter obtained by the Daily Mail broadly detailed Ippolito's testimony but did not specify if he implicated himself or others in the murders. The FBI and federal prosecutors reportedly possessed phone records showing calls from Ippolito's restaurant to Simpson's estate. Ippolito was also alleged to be a member of the DeCavalcante crime family with ties to New York's Lucchese family.

He received credit for time served and was released in 1998. Lead investigator Tom Lange told The Times that he recalled Ippolito's name but never considered him a significant suspect, maintaining that Simpson acted alone. The LAPD considers the murder investigation open.

However, some investigators and experts continue to support the theory that Simpson had an accomplice. Jim Clemente, a former FBI profiler and prosecutor, cited the presence of multiple stab victims and the nature of Ronald Goldman's defensive wounds as evidence suggesting more than one attacker. Clemente suggested Goldman's wounds indicated his arms were being held while he struggled with his legs.

Johnnie Cochran, Simpson's defense attorney, also proposed an accomplice theory during the trial, suggesting that drug dealers might have been responsible for the murders, potentially targeting Faye Resnick, a friend of Nicole Brown Simpson who had a cocaine addiction.

Despite these theories, Nicole Brown Simpson's sister expressed skepticism to the Daily Mail, calling the accomplice talk "a bunch of BS."