Mark Fuhrman, Key Figure in O.J. Simpson Trial, Dies at 74 from Throat Cancer

The cause of death for former Los Angeles Police Department detective Mark Fuhrman, a significant figure in the O.J. Simpson murder trial, has been revealed.

On Monday afternoon, news broke that Fuhrman passed away on May 12 in Kootenai County, Idaho. Fuhrman worked for the LAPD from 1975 to 1995, retiring before the conclusion of Simpson's murder trial.

According to TMZ, Fuhrman died after a battle with throat cancer. Fuhrman was diagnosed a year ago and spent approximately one week in the hospital before passing away, the outlet reported.

Fuhrman is survived by his son, Cole, daughter, Haley, and wife, Kelly. He was previously married three times.

Mark Fuhrman's Role in O.J. Simpson Investigation & Trial

Simpson was arrested on June 17, 1994, and charged with the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Lyle Goldman. The bodies had been found outside Nicole's Brentwood condo on June 12.

Fuhrman immediately became a key part of the investigation when he discovered a bloody glove at Simpson's Rockingham estate after the murders.

Simpson's lawyers argued that Fuhrman and the authorities on the case had planted DNA evidence to frame the former football star. The defense claimed that Fuhrman had a history of uttering racial slurs against African Americans, something he denied on the stand.

However, the defense found tapes of Fuhrman using racial slurs during interviews with screenwriter Laura McKinny.

The defense questioned Fuhrman about whether he gave a truthful testimony, falsified police reports and if he planted/manufactured evidence against Simpson. Fuhrman pleaded the Fifth to all questions.

The jury found Simpson not guilty of both murders. The defense's success in convincing the jury that Fuhrman and the investigators on the case were racially motivated to frame Simpson was cited as a key reason for the not guilty verdict.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 7:51 PM.