Forensic Scientist Who Helped Acquit O.J. Simpson, Dies at 87

Dr. Henry C. Lee, the forensic scientist and investigator who helped acquit O.J. Simpson of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, has died at his home in Henderson, Nevada at the age of 87. His death was announced by his family in conjunction with the University of New Haven, where he was a professor for more than 50 years.

Lee worked on numerous famous cases, including the 9/11 forensic investigation, the Helle Crafts wood chipper murder, the JonBenét Ramsey murder, and the Phil Spector murder trial.

A federal judge ruled in 2023 that Lee had fabricated evidence tied to a 1985 murder case in Connecticut. The decision stemmed from a wrongful conviction lawsuit brought by Ralph Birch and Shawn Henning, who spent years behind bars before their convictions were eventually overturned. According to the ruling, there was no proof that Lee had actually carried out the blood test he said he performed on a towel recovered from the scene. The state later reached a $25.2 million settlement with the two men.

Lee founded the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science at the University of New Haven, where he had been a faculty member since 1975.

Born November 22, 1938, in Rugao, China, his family later emigrated to Taiwan. He received a degree in police administration from the Central Police College in 1960 and became a police officer in Taipei and later, a captain at age 22. He moved to the United States in 1964 with his late wife, Margaret Soong Meow Lee, who died in 2017.

He is survived by his wife, Xiaping Jiang; his daughter, Sherry Hersey; his son, Stanley Lee; and four grandchildren. According to PR News Wire and University of New Haven, Lee was finalizing a book on missing persons investigations, which will be published posthumously in the near future.