Reeva Steenkamp
Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door on Valentine's Day. He claimed he thought she was an intruder. He was convicted of murder.
In the early morning hours of Valentine's Day 2013, Oscar Pistorius, the famed 'Blade Runner' Paralympic sprinter, fired four shots through a locked bathroom door at his home in Pretoria, killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate.
Pistorius claimed he believed an intruder had broken in and was hiding in the bathroom. Prosecutors argued the couple had been fighting and Reeva had locked herself in the bathroom to escape.
Pistorius was initially convicted of culpable homicide (manslaughter) in 2014. On appeal, this was upgraded to murder in 2015. He was sentenced to 13 years and 5 months in prison.
Pistorius was released on parole in January 2024 after serving about half his sentence. The case generated worldwide attention due to his celebrity status and the dramatic televised trial.
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