Ron Goldman's family describes O.J. Simpson's death as a "mixed bag of complicated emotions" ... because now that he's gone, so is their hope for true justice.
Ron's sister, Kim, and father, Fred, put out a joint statement late Thursday, saying ... "For three decades we tirelessly pursued justice for Ron and Nicole, and despite a civil judgment and his confession in 'If I Did It,' the hope for true accountability has ended."
The statement -- referring to Simpson's 2007 book, "If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer" -- makes it clear the Goldmans, like millions of others, have no doubts about who murdered Ron and Nicole Brown Simpson ... no matter what the jury said back in 1995.
The Goldmans say they'll keep advocating for victims, and they ended the statement by thanking everyone "for keeping our family, and most importantly Ron, in your hearts for the last 30 years."
As you know, O.J. died Wednesday after a battle with cancer, surrounded by his family.
During Simpson's trial for the murders of his ex-wife and Ron, Kim and Fred attended regularly ... sitting in the gallery and watching as the jury found him not guilty.
They also sued O.J. in a civil trial a couple years later, winning a judgment of more than $33 million as Simpson was found liable for the deaths ... though they never received most of that money.
As we reported, the Goldmans' attorney, David Cook, told us the family will explore legal options to attempt to get the judgment it's owed from Simpson's estate.
Kim wrote a book on O.J., entitled, "Can't Forgive: My 20-Year Battle with O.J. Simpson" -- and it sounds like she carried that sentiment right up to his death.