LAKE HAVASU CITY – A former Lake Havasu City newspaper reporter and editor is self-publishing a new book featuring untold stories involving OJ Simpson, the late football star and celebrity who will always be remembered for being acquitted in the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman in California 30 years ago.
Brian Wedemeyer was a photojournalist for the Air Force who served in Desert Storm before a 20-year newspaper career, most of that in Lake Havasu. The gifted writer who also served the Lake Havasu City council from 2006-2010 became a school teacher in 2005 and currently serves as principal at La Pera Elementary school south of Parker.
Wedemeyer’s work “OJ’s Moon” becomes available for purchase on Amazon on June 20. It is focused on characters and events that occurred in OJ’s orbit, but have drawn little attention from a public that’s always been riveted in debate whether Simpson committed the murders or was innocent.
“The whole idea of the moon is all the light has been shining on one side of the moon and that light, to me, involves that same old question–did he do it or did he not do it—and the gloves, the DNA, and the Bronco and all those other things that you’re used to hearing about,” Wedemeyer said. “There’s some other stories on the other side of the moon that are pretty interesting that haven’t received much coverage.”
Like Tom Lang, a witness proximate to the brutal killings on June 12, 1994, who did not testify at Simpson’s trial.
“He was literally standing on the corner of Dorothy and Bundy, just within feet of Nicole’s condo, just minutes before (OJ prosecutor) Marcia Clark says the murders took place,” Wedemeyer said. “The book talks about everything he saw and everything that happens to him afterwards. He was never interviewed by the media. He never took the witness stand for whatever reason.”
The book also introduces Michael Nigg, who like Goldman, was a struggling, aspiring actor trying to support himself waiting tables while hoping to be discovered by Hollywood. Wedemeyer said Nigg and Goldman worked at the same restaurant for a period of time and that Nigg had dated Goldman’s sister prior to Nigg’s unsolved homicide on Sept. 8, 1995.
“He was murdered. He was robbed while taking his girlfriend out to dinner after he parked in a small parking lot off of Beverly Boulevard,” Wedemeyer said. “If my book is to have any purpose it is to raise awareness of Michael Nigg’s murder and hopefully get more people talking and interested in that case. His killers are still out there and I’d like to see justice served.”
Wedemeyer juggled his busy work and family schedule to plug away off-and-on to complete OJ’s Moon over a 3.5-year period. He has no idea about potential sales.
“I don’t have any number on that. I’m honestly just happy to be able to say I started it and finished it,” he said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to write a book.”
Dave Hawkins
