5 takeaways from the Times’ reexamination of the OJ Simpson case

In the failed murder prosecution of OJ Simpson in 1995, the government said he alone killed his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman.

Among the problems that slowed down the case: the absence of a murder weapon, which was never found. His absence has long fueled speculation about whether the killer had benefited from assistance.

Now, documents released 30 years later at the request of the New York Times show that a prized government informant provided law enforcement with key information about the murders, including the supposed location of the murder weapon and details of Mr. Simpson’s efforts to evade prosecution. Together, the findings challenge the popular narrative around this case.

This year, the informant’s brother told the Times that his brother’s role in the case went much deeper. And the brother said he actually helped throw away a bag containing a heavy object in the hours after the murders.

A “highly reliable” tipster provided information on OJ Simpson.

Joseph Ippolito, known as Joey, a convicted drug dealer and Mafia associate, escaped from a Florida prison a month before the 1994 murders.

Mr. Ippolito’s brother said the siblings had gone west after fleeing to Los Angeles. Before his incarceration, Mr. Ippolito operated a popular restaurant there and was close friends with Al Cowlings, Mr. Simpson’s longtime confidant.