Marguerite Whitley is best known as the first wife of former NFL star and actor O.J. Simpson. She was born in California in the late 1940s and grew up in San Francisco. She is an African-American businesswoman who worked in retail management and later built a career as an interior designer. She was married to O.J. Simpson from 1967 to 1979 and had three children with him. After their divorce, she remarried twice and has lived a deliberately private life ever since.
She is not a celebrity. She is not a public figure by choice. She is a woman whose life intersected with one of the most controversial figures in American sports and legal history and who handled that intersection with remarkable grace.
Quick facts
| Detail | Info |
| Full name | Marguerite L. Whitley |
| Date of birth | August 27, 1948 (some sources say March 20, 1949) |
| Birthplace | San Francisco / Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| First marriage | O.J. Simpson (June 24, 1967 – March 1979) |
| Second marriage | Rudolph Lewis (July 9, 1986 – July 3, 1991) |
| Third marriage | Anthony Thomas (April 3, 1992 – present) |
| Children | Arnelle Simpson, Jason Simpson, Aaren Simpson (deceased) |
| Career | Interior designer, retail manager, businesswoman |
| Current location | Fresno, California |
| Estimated net worth | ~$3 million |
Early life and background
Not much has been publicly confirmed about Marguerite Whitley’s early family life. She was born and raised in California, spending her formative years in San Francisco. She attended Galileo High School in San Francisco, where she would eventually cross paths with a young O.J. Simpson.
Her nationality is American and her ethnicity is African-American. There is no confirmed record of her holding a college degree, though she clearly developed strong business and entrepreneurial instincts in the years that followed her marriage.
Her sister, Veterdata Jones, is the only family member who has been mentioned by name in public records.
How did Marguerite Whitley meet O.J. Simpson?
Marguerite Whitley and O.J. Simpson met at Galileo High School in San Francisco. At the time, she was dating Simpson’s best friend, Al “AC” Cowlings the same man who would later become famous as the driver of the white Ford Bronco during the slow-speed chase following the 1994 murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
According to a 1994 New York Times report, Cowlings and Marguerite were having relationship difficulties, and he asked O.J. to speak with her. That conversation turned into something more. Marguerite ended her relationship with Cowlings and began dating Simpson. She was 16 at the time.
Cowlings was reportedly furious. But he eventually reconciled with both of them and remained a lifelong friend to Simpson. He would later follow O.J. to the City College of San Francisco and then to USC, where they played football together.
One critical moment in Simpson’s career can be traced directly back to Marguerite. O.J. had already committed to attending Arizona State University and was reportedly at the airport ready to leave when Marguerite persuaded him to stay and do another year at City College. That decision changed everything. He went on to become one of the greatest players in USC history, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1968.
Marriage to O.J. Simpson (1967 to 1979)
Marguerite and O.J. Simpson married on June 24, 1967. She was 18 and he was 19. They were college students who, by her own account, simply wanted freedom. In her last known public interview with Barbara Walters on ABC’s 20/20 in January 1995, she described the early years plainly.
They had three children together. Their first daughter, Arnelle L. . Their son, Jason Lamar Simpson, was born on April 21, 1970. Their third child, Aaren Lashone Simpson, was born on September 24, 1977.
The couple spent a significant portion of their marriage in Amherst, New York, where O.J. played for the Buffalo Bills for eight seasons. During this period, Marguerite was the anchor of the household managing the home, raising the children, and providing the stability that O.J.’s career demanded.
In a 1968 interview with Look magazine, Marguerite described the young O.J. as controlling and difficult: “He was a beast. He was pretty horrible. If there were other fellows who wanted to talk to girls, he’d make them stay away.” Yet she also acknowledged a shared immaturity.
As O.J.’s fame expanded Heisman Trophy in 1968, No. 1 NFL draft pick in 1969, landmark $650,000 contract with the Buffalo Bills, endorsement deals with Hertz the gap between his public life and her private nature widened. Her divorce lawyer Harry F. Fain described it succinctly to the New York Times in 1994: “She lent an element of stability to him mother, homemaker, things like that. Then he becomes a celebrity and the marriage begins to fail.”
A retired LAPD officer named Jim King told Inside Edition in 1995 that he had responded to a domestic call at the Simpson home in West Los Angeles in the mid-1970s and that Marguerite had reported being struck. Both O.J. and Marguerite have denied any physical violence in their marriage. Marguerite told Barbara Walters directly: “If he did, he would have gotten a frying pan upside the head. There is just no way I would have let that happen to me.”
By 1977, O.J. had met Nicole Brown, who was working as a waitress at a Beverly Hills nightclub called The Daisy. He was 30; she was 18. Marguerite said she knew of Nicole and the relationship during her 1995 interview with Walters. The couple had separated on several occasions, starting as early as 1970, before finally divorcing in March 1979.
“The price of fame was our biggest problem,” O.J. told People magazine in 1979. “My wife is a private person, yet we can’t walk down the street without causing a commotion.”
The tragedy of Aaren Simpson
The most devastating chapter of Marguerite Whitley’s marriage did not involve fame or infidelity. It came just months after their divorce.
Their youngest daughter, Aaren Lashone Simpson, was 23 months old when she drowned in the family swimming pool at their Brentwood home on August 18, 1979. She remained in a coma for eight days before passing away on August 26, 1979 just weeks before what would have been her second birthday.
O.J. Simpson rarely spoke publicly about Aaren’s death. In a 2004 interview with Katie Couric on the Today show, he said simply: “I mean, I never have. It’s sad that it happened. It was a tremendous loss. We dealt with it. We moved on.”
Marguerite has said nothing publicly about the loss. That silence is not indifference. It is the mark of a mother who chose to carry grief privately rather than perform it for an audience. She continued to raise Arnelle and Jason as a single mother through one of the most difficult periods of her life, and she did so without any public acknowledgement of how hard that truly was.
The financial battle after divorce (1981 to 1986)
The end of the marriage did not end Marguerite’s difficulties with O.J. Simpson. Following their 1979 divorce, she accused him of failing to meet his financial obligations to their children.
In 1981, she filed a lawsuit demanding $26,000 in outstanding child support money, citing child neglect. The case remained in the court system for five years. It was eventually settled out of court in 1986.
A 2008 National Enquirer report (which should be treated with caution) alleged that Arnelle Simpson had confronted O.J. over his failure to financially support Marguerite, claiming she was working at Walmart at the time. This has never been independently verified.
The 1994 murder trial Marguerite’s stance
When O.J. Simpson was charged with the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in June 1994, Marguerite Whitley chose a clear and unwavering position: she believed he was innocent.
She attended portions of the trial alongside her children. In January 1995, she gave what remains her last known public interview a sit-down with Barbara Walters on ABC’s 20/20, accompanied by her then-husband Anthony Thomas.
During that interview, she stated she would have been willing to testify for the defense, though O.J. ‘s legal team never called her.
She has not made a public statement since.
Life after O.J. her two marriages and career
After her divorce from O.J. Simpson, Marguerite relocated from their Brentwood home and eventually settled in San Francisco, where she rebuilt her life.
She married for the second time on July 9, 1986. The marriage lasted five years. They divorced on July 3, 1991, citing irreconcilable differences.
Through her career in interior design, she met her third husband, Anthony Thomas, a furniture sales representative. They married on April 3, 1992. Thomas accompanied her to the 1995 Barbara Walters interview, and by all available accounts they remain together.
Marguerite built a professional career as an interior designer after her divorce from O.J. She had earlier worked in retail management, and that experience in business helped her develop the entrepreneurial instincts that would define her post-Simpson years. She ran her own operations, managed clients, and built financial independence on her own terms.
Her children today 2026 Updated
Marguerite Whitley has two surviving children from her marriage to O.J. Simpson.
Arnelle Simpson, born December 4, 1968, has been the most publicly visible of the Simpson children. She testified as a defense witness at her father’s 1995 murder trial, describing him as “very upset, emotional, confused” upon hearing of Nicole’s death. She later testified at his 2017 parole hearing following his 2008 conviction for armed robbery and kidnapping in Nevada, calling him her “best friend.” Arnelle has worked in entertainment industry production and reportedly lives in Fresno, California the same city where Marguerite is believed to reside.
Jason Simpson, born April 21, 1970, has pursued a career as a chef and culinary director. He worked at St. Cecilia restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia. He gave a rare interview in 2021 on The Food That Binds podcast, reflecting on his father’s dual legacy of fame and infamy. He appeared as archive footage in Netflix’s documentary American Manhunt: OJ Simpson.
Aaren Simpson, born September 24, 1977, died August 26, 1979, at 23 months old after drowning in the family swimming pool.
Where is Marguerite Whitley now in 2026?
Marguerite Whitley is believed to be alive and well in 2026. She is approximately 76 years old.
Property records indicate she is currently based in Fresno, California, where the property is registered under her name. Her daughter Arnelle is also reported to live in the Fresno area, suggesting the family has remained geographically close.
She has maintained no known social media presence. She has given no public statements or interviews since January 1995. She did not comment publicly on O.J. Simpson’s death from prostate cancer in April 2024 at the age of 76.
Her archive footage appeared in two recent documentary productions: the 2024 Netflix/BBC series The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Netflix series American Manhunt: OJ Simpson. These were archival appearances, not new interviews.
O.J. Simpson’s death in April 2024 and what it means for Marguerite
O.J. Simpson died on April 10, 2024, from prostate cancer. He was 76. His family issued a statement confirming his death, and TMZ reported that all five of his children including Arnelle and Jason were with him in his final days.
Per reports, everyone who visited Simpson before his death, including family members and medical personnel, was required to sign non-disclosure agreements.
O.J. Simpson’s estate and the distribution of his assets is a complex matter. His NFL pension reported to be approximately $25,000 per month had been protected from civil judgment creditors under Florida law during his lifetime. What becomes of that income stream, and how his surviving children are affected, has not been made public.
Marguerite has not commented publicly on her ex-husband’s passing.
Marguerite Whitley’s net worth in 2026
Marguerite Whitley’s net worth is estimated at approximately $3 million as of 2026. This figure is an estimate drawn from several sources: her divorce settlement from O.J. Simpson in 1979, the 1986 out-of-court settlement of her child support lawsuit, her career in retail management, and her work as an interior designer.
She has not benefited from any public-facing celebrity income no book deals, no interviews, no endorsements. Her financial stability appears to be the product of disciplined money management over four decades.
FAQs
Is Marguerite Whitley still alive?
Yes. Marguerite Whitley is believed to be alive. She is approximately 76 years old and is reported to live in Fresno, California.
How many times did Marguerite Whitley marry?
Marguerite Whitley married three times. First to O.J. Simpson (1967 to 1979), then to transit supervisor Rudolph Lewis (1986 to 1991), and then to furniture sales representative Anthony Thomas (1992 present).
What is Marguerite Whitley’s net worth?
Her estimated net worth is approximately $3 million built through her divorce settlement, a child support lawsuit settlement, and her career as a businesswoman and interior designer.
Did Marguerite Whitley have children with O.J. Simpson?
Yes. She had three children Arnelle Simpson born 1968, Jason Simpson born 1970 and Aaren Simpson born 1977, died 1979 after drowning in the family pool.
Where is Marguerite Whitley now?
Property records indicate she currently lives in Fresno, California. She has maintained no public presence since her 1995 interview with Barbara Walters on ABC’s 20/20.
Did Marguerite Whitley support O.J. Simpson during the murder trial?
Yes. In a January 1995 interview with Barbara Walters, she publicly stated her belief in his innocence and said she would have been willing to testify on his behalf, though she was never called to do so.
What career did Marguerite Whitley have after her divorce?
After divorcing O.J. Simpson, Marguerite worked in retail management and later became an interior designer. She built financial independence through her own career and business ventures.
Conclusion
There is something genuinely instructive about Marguerite Whitley’s story and I say that not as a detached observer, but as someone who has spent considerable time researching the lives of people who get swept into someone else’s narrative and have to find their way back to their own. The women connected to high-profile men are almost always written about in relation to those men. Their own choices, their own grief, their own rebuilding these get a sentence, maybe a paragraph.
Marguerite Whitley lost a daughter. She survived a marriage to a man whose fame consumed everything around him. She fought for her children’s financial support in court for five years. She watched the world put her ex-husband on trial and chose to stand for what she believed was true, and then she walked away from the circus entirely. She remarried. She built a career. She raised two children who, by any reasonable measure, turned out to be grounded adults. She did all of this without writing a book, giving an interview, or leveraging a single moment of her association with O.J. Simpson for personal gain. That is not weakness or avoidance. That is a form of integrity that is genuinely rare. Whatever your view of O.J. Simpson, Marguerite Whitley’s story deserves to be told on its own terms and this article is an attempt to do exactly that.
