OJ Simpson dies at 76 after battle with cancer, family says

, a former professional football star acquitted of charges in the murder of his former wife and her friend -- but later found liable in a separate civil trial -- has died. He was 76 years old.

His family shared the news on social media Thursday, saying he passed away the day before.

On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer," the family wrote. "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."

In 1994, Simpson's ex-wife and mother of two of his children, Nicole Brown, was found stabbed to death with her friend, Ron Goldman in Los Angeles.

Simpson was accused of killing them both, but was acquitted in a highly-publicized trial in 1995. He was later found liable for both deaths by a criminal court jury in 1997 and ordered to pay $33.5 million to family members of Brown and Goldman.

Live TV coverage of his arrest after an infamous slow-speed chase in a white Ford Bronco began a stunning fall from grace for the sports hero. The public was then mesmerized by his “trial of the century” on live TV.

Names like Brian "Kato" Kaelin and Judge Lance Ito became household names, along with Simpson’s defense attorneys. "The Dream Team" was comprised of Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr., Robert Shapiro, Barry Scheck, F. Lee Bailey, Alan Dershowitz, as well as Robert Kardashian. The defense -- Prosecutors Marcia Clark and Chris Darden -- were also in the spotlight.

Simpson and Brown, who were married for seven years, had a rocky relationship, with Simpson allegedly physically and emotionally abusing her. Her murder took place two years after their divorce.

Simpson's trouble with the law continued in 2007 when on armed robbery and kidnapping charges after he led five men he barely knew into a confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers in Las Vegas. Two of the men with Simpson had guns. He was convicted a year later and sentenced to 33 years behind bars. He was released on parole in 2017.

I’ve basically spent a conflict-free life, you know,” Simpson, whose parole ended in late 2021, said.

Simpson rose to fame as a NFL star in the late 1960s. He played mostly for the Buffalo Bills and is considered to be one of the greatest running backs of all time.

He also had an acting career, starring in movies and TV shows.

Simpson was reportedly diagnosed with prostate cancer in February and had been undergoing treatment. Simpson's attorney confirmed to TMZ on Thursday that he died in Las Vegas.

. They included statements from Goldman's father, celebrities, as well as the White House press secretary.

The only thing I have to say is it's just further reminder of Ron being gone all these years," Fred Goldman, who relentlessly pursued Simpson through civil courts, maintaining it is the only way to achieve justice for his son, told . "It’s no great loss to the world. It’s a further reminder of Ron’s being gone."

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefly addressed Simpson's death during an unrelated news conference.

"Our thoughts are with -- are with his families during this difficult time, obviously, with his family and loved ones," Jean-Pierre said. "And I'll say this, I know that they have asked for some privacy, and so we're going to respect that. I'll just leave it there."

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.