Discover the full biography of Marguerite Whitley — O.J. Simpson’s first wife. Learn about her age, children, net worth, life in Los Angeles, marriage to Anthony Thomas, divorce from O.J., and where she is today.
Who Is O.J. Simpson’s First Wife?
Marguerite L. Whitley is an American businesswoman and the first wife of the late NFL legend O.J. Simpson. While her name has long been linked to one of the most talked-about trials in American legal history, Marguerite’s own story is one of quiet strength, resilience, and rebuilding a life on her own terms. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she met Simpson as a teenager, married him at just 18, raised three children, endured public scrutiny, and eventually walked away from the spotlight entirely — by choice.
Far more than a footnote in O.J. Simpson’s biography, Marguerite Whitley is a woman who navigated fame, heartbreak, and personal tragedy with a composure that has earned her lasting respect.
Quick Facts: Marguerite Whitley at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Marguerite L. Whitley |
| Date of Birth | March 20, 1949 |
| Age (2026) | 77 years old |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Education | Galileo High School; University of Southern California (USC) |
| Occupation | Businesswoman, Interior Designer, Former Retail Employee |
| First Marriage | O.J. Simpson (June 24, 1967 – March 1979) |
| Second Marriage | Rudolph Lewis (1986 – 1991) |
| Third Marriage | Anthony Thomas (April 3, 1992 – present) |
| Children | Arnelle Simpson, Jason Simpson, Aaren Simpson (deceased) |
| Net Worth (est.) | ~$3.5 million (2026) |
| Current Residence | Fresno, California, USA |
| Social Media | None (entirely private) |
Marguerite Whitley Age and Early Life in Los Angeles
Marguerite Whitley was born on March 20, 1949, in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in the city that would later become inseparably connected to her ex-husband’s rise to fame. She attended Galileo High School and later completed a diploma programme at the University of Southern California in 1967.
Not much has been publicly documented about her parents or siblings, though sources indicate she has at least one sister. What is known is that she came from a modest background and entered adulthood during one of the most socially transformative periods in American history. Her quiet upbringing stood in sharp contrast to the very public life she would soon find herself living.
Marguerite Whitley and O.J. Simpson: How They First Met
The origin story of Marguerite and O.J. Simpson is a little unexpected. O.J. Simpson’s first wife was Marguerite L. Whitley. They met at San Francisco’s Galileo High School when she was dating his best friend, Al “AC” Cowlings. Al and Marguerite were having issues as a couple and he asked O.J. to talk to her, but she ended up breaking it off with Al and began dating O.J. Remarkably, there were reportedly no lasting hard feelings over the situation.
O.J. and Marguerite began dating in 1965 and married in 1967 in their hometown of San Francisco. Marguerite was born in 1949 and was 18 when she married O.J., who was 19. They were both college students at the time of their matrimony.
Looking back on those early years, Marguerite spoke candidly in her final known public interview with Barbara Walters on ABC’s 20/20 in 1995: “We were such kids, it was fun. We didn’t have to answer to our parents anymore. We could party and stay out all night. It wasn’t a crazy wildness.”
Marguerite Whitley as O.J. Simpson’s First Wife: The Marriage Years
After their wedding on June 24, 1967, the couple’s life quickly changed when O.J.’s athletic career took off. Simpson won the Heisman Trophy in 1968 and would go on to become the No. 1 draft pick for the NFL the following year, recruited by the Buffalo Bills. The couple spent a majority of their marriage in Amherst, New York, while he played for the Bills for eight seasons.
While her husband became a household name, Marguerite was shy and private. As O.J.’s celebrity grew, the pressures on their marriage mounted. In 1979, Simpson reportedly told People magazine: “My wife is a private person, yet we can’t walk down the street without causing a commotion.”
Marguerite herself reflected on the challenges of those years: “There were times in our marriage as in all young couples, we were both bullheaded. We were testing the ground with each other. We had young children. We had an amount of money that no one told us how to invest it. There was an immaturity on our part.”
Marguerite Whitley Divorce: The End of a 12-Year Marriage
Per the Times, Marguerite asked her lawyer to start divorce proceedings as early as 1973, but those were later called off. The marriage finally ended in March 1979 after 12 years together. The divorce came in part due to the pressures of O.J.’s celebrity, but also because of the two-year affair the star had already carried on with a woman who would become his second wife: Nicole Brown Simpson.
The post-divorce period was not smooth. Following their 1979 divorce, O.J. claimed that Marguerite refused to move out of their Brentwood home, according to court filings, with records noting that she “threatened him with physical abuse, libel, and slander and to call the police.” A financial dispute also dragged on for years. After her divorce from O.J., she reportedly received a $26,000 settlement annually, alimony, and $1,500 monthly child support payments. However, in 1981, she even sued her ex-husband for not paying $26,000 as part of the divorce settlement. She sued him and by 1986, they settled out of court.
Marguerite Whitley Children: Joy and Tragedy
Marguerite had three children with O.J. Simpson. On December 4, 1968, the Simpsons welcomed their first child, a daughter named Arnelle. A year and a half later, the couple welcomed a second child, a son they named Jason. O.J. and Marguerite’s third child, daughter Aaren, was born on September 24, 1977.
The joy of their growing family was shattered in 1979. Their youngest daughter, Aaren, accidentally drowned in 1979 following their divorce. She was just one month shy of her second birthday.
Of the surviving children, Arnelle Simpson, the eldest daughter, was born in December 1968 and managed her father’s finances until his death in April 2024. Arnelle was close to her father and served as a defense witness at her father’s 1995 murder trial. Despite the painful end of her parents’ marriage, both Arnelle and Jason maintained a relationship with their father throughout his life.
Marguerite Whitley and Anthony Thomas: Life After O.J.
Following her divorce from Simpson, Marguerite rebuilt her personal life with two subsequent marriages. In 1986 she married transit supervisor Rudolph Lewis, but they divorced in 1991.
After her second divorce, Marguerite met her third husband, Anthony Thomas, who worked as a salesman for a furniture company. They married on April 3, 1992. Anthony Thomas accompanied Marguerite to her 1995 interview with Barbara Walters — the last known public appearance she has made. The two married in 1992 and have apparently been together ever since. Their marriage has remained outside the public eye, reflecting Marguerite’s deliberate and consistent desire for privacy.
Marguerite Whitley Net Worth: How She Built Financial Independence
The net worth of Marguerite Whitley is estimated to be around $3.5 million as of 2026. Her financial stability has come from several sources, including her divorce settlement from O.J. Simpson, her business ventures, and prudent investments over the years.
Her income sources are diverse. After her divorce from O.J. Simpson, she received a settlement and monthly child support. Additionally, she inherited a family business, which has significantly contributed to her wealth. She eventually became an interior designer, adding a professional dimension to her financial portfolio that existed entirely independent of her former marriage.
She has invested in real estate, including a home in Fresno, California. Her approach to wealth has been disciplined and low-key — no celebrity endorsements, no media appearances for profit. The $3 million figure, while modest compared to the fortunes of NFL stars, reflects the outcome of decades of careful, self-directed financial management.
Marguerite Whitley Family: Staying Close Through It All
Despite everything — a high-profile divorce, a devastating loss, and years of legal and financial disputes — Marguerite’s most consistent priority has been her family. She maintains that her children kept a good relationship with their father. She attended O.J.’s 1995 murder trial in a show of support not for the public, but for her children. Whitley was an adamant supporter of her ex-husband throughout his 1995 murder trial, going as far as to state that she would be willing to testify on behalf of the defense, though she was never ultimately asked to do so.
Marguerite also said that she believed her ex-husband was innocent of the murders of Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman. She attended the trial alongside their kids before seemingly disappearing from the public. That disappearance was not by accident — it was a choice made by a woman who understood exactly what she was walking away from.
Marguerite Whitley in Los Angeles and Life in California
Marguerite spent a significant portion of her life in Los Angeles, the city where she was born and where her marriage to O.J. played out — first in glamour, then in courtrooms and tabloids. Marguerite Whitley lived in Los Angeles, California, for the better part of her life. She is now based in Fresno, California, where the property is under her name.
The move to Fresno, away from the media ecosystem of Los Angeles, is entirely consistent with who she has always been — someone who chose peace over proximity to celebrity. Her connection to Los Angeles is historical; her present life in Fresno is deliberately quiet.
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Marguerite Whitley Today: Where Is She Now?
O.J. Simpson’s first wife is still alive today. She was born on March 20, 1949, and currently resides in Fresno, California. Now 77 years old, she remains entirely out of the public eye. She prefers to avoid social media attention and is not active on any social media platforms.
Her last confirmed public appearance was the 1995 20/20 interview with Barbara Walters, conducted alongside her then-new husband Anthony Thomas. In the decades since — through O.J.’s 2008 armed robbery conviction, his imprisonment, his release in 2017, and his death from cancer on April 10, 2024 — Marguerite has said nothing publicly.
That silence is itself a statement. In a culture that rewards outrage and oversharing, Marguerite Whitley chose a different path entirely. She raised her children, built a modest financial legacy, remarried, moved to a quieter part of California, and simply got on with living. Her story is a reminder that behind every headline, there are real people who deserve the right to define their own narratives — and that sometimes, the most powerful thing a person can do is simply refuse to perform.
