A knife allegedly found at the former home of O.J. Simpson is being tested by police as possible evidence in the 1994 double homicide of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
Officials with the Los Angeles Police Department said at a press conference Friday that the knife was turned over to investigators "within the last month" by a retired police officer. The officer — who was not identified — gave LAPD investigators the weapon after having it in his possession for an unknown amount of time.
The officer was allegedly given the knife by a person working construction at Simpson's former Rockingham estate. Simpson's 6,000-square foot home was demolished in 1998 and a new estate has since been built on the property.
"(This) could be a made-up story," said Capt. Andrew Neiman of the LAPD. "We need to vet that."
Neiman did not go into details about the knife, other than to describe it as "a knife — not a machete."
The slaying of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman in June 1994 is still being treated as an open case, according to Neiman. O.J. Simpson was accused of their murders but was found not guilty in October 1995.
Neiman said the knife is being tested for any possible forensic evidence.
Many questions remain regarding the officer who turned the knife over to investigators. Neiman said he wasn't sure when it came into the officer's possession and that administrative charges could potentially be brought against him, depending on whether or not he was retired at the time he received the knife.
"I would think that an LAPD officer would know that anytime you come into contact with evidence you should submit that," Neiman told reporters on Friday. "This story could be bogus from the get-go."
Regardless of the weapon's relation to the killings of Simpson and Goldman, additional murder charges would likely not be able to be brought against O.J. Simpson because he was already put on trial for the crime.
"It is my understanding that double jeopardy would be in place here so we could not charge Mr. Simpson since he's already been acquitted," said Neiman.
Clint Davis is a writer for the Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis.
