Netflix’s ‘American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson’ Docuseries Exposes Shocking New Evidence in Nicole Brown Case

Every twist and turn became a part of American pop culture. News helicopters followed the white Ford Bronco chase down California’s 405 freeway. TV cameras captured defense attorney Johnnie Cochran telling the jury, “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.” Evidence introduced during the eight-month “Trial of the Century” — from ill-fitting Isotoner gloves to bloody size-12 Bruno Magli shoe- prints — became symbols of the case that gripped and divided the nation.

In October 1995, a jury ultimately found O.J. Simpson not guilty in the brutal stabbing deaths of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, 35, and her friend Ron Goldman, 25, the previous year. The NFL star turned actor’s criminal defense team successfully sowed enough reasonable doubt, skillfully arguing that some of the overwhelming DNA evidence — including O.J.’s blood at the crime scene and the victims’ blood in his vehicle — could have been planted.

But now, 30 years later, the four-part Netflix docuseries American Manhunt: O.J. Simpson is reexamining the case and revealing other key evidence that was either not presented during O.J.’s criminal trial or never collected at all. When considered alongside everything else, director Floyd Russ told Time, it’s “pretty clear that he did it.”

The docuseries, which shot to No. 1 on the streamer after its January 29 release, confirms a bloody fingerprint detectives saw on the back gate of Nicole’s L.A. home wasn’t collected as evidence. Neither was a cache of torn-open medical supplies inside a cabinet at the top of her stairs, nor what appeared to be an empty knife box found on the edge of Nicole’s bathtub. A brown smear on a light switch in Nicole’s laundry room and freshly cleaned clothes in her washing machine were also not collected by cops, the doc notes.

What Happened to the Murder Weapon?

Two people who encountered O.J. the night of the murders and spoke to investigators — but were never called to testify — also shared their stories in the docuseries. According to motorist Jill Shively, an agitated O.J. yelled at her from behind the wheel of his Bronco after running a red light near the crime scene. But because Jill had been paid for a TV interview, prosecutors believed her testimony lost credibility.

While picking his wife up at LAX Airport, Skip Junis saw O.J. — who’d just been dropped off in a limo for a flight to Chicago — move a “long” object from a duffel bag to a trash can. Explained Skip: “I probably witnessed him discarding the murder weapon,” which cops never found.

Looking back, it’s hard to deny the case was riddled with problems. “The lawyers, the police, in hindsight, all say ‘Massive mistakes were made. These people should have been called,’” director Russ told Netflix’s Tudum. Ultimately, he added, “This is a story filled with a lot of grief and almost no happy endings.”