Former South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, who spent 11 years in prison for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, was released on parole on Friday. Pistorius gained worldwide attention on Feb. 14, 2013, when he shot Steenkamp four times through the bathroom door of their Pretoria home.
South Africa’s Department of Correctional Services confirmed Pistorius’s parole, effective from January 5, 2024, stating that he is now part of the Community Corrections system and is back home. The Department has not responded to requests for comment from PEOPLE.
Nicknamed “Blade Runner” due to his high-tech prosthetic legs, Pistorius claimed he fired the shots thinking there was an intruder. Initially convicted of culpable homicide in 2014, he later faced a murder charge in 2015, resulting in a 13-year and five-month prison sentence in 2016.
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Following his release, Steenkamp’s mother, June Steenkamp, expressed doubts about justice, questioning if Oscar had served enough time. She emphasized that the loss of a loved one cannot be compensated by time served and stated her commitment to focusing on the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation.
In a 2016 interview before sentencing, Pistorius tearfully acknowledged taking Reeva’s life, expressing remorse and grappling with self-hate. Granted parole on November 24, he will complete the remainder of his sentence under South Africa’s community corrections system, supervised until December 2029. Parole conditions include reporting to a parole officer, attending gender-based violence classes, and continuing anger management therapy.
June Steenkamp, in a letter during the parole board hearing, raised concerns about Pistorius’s unresolved anger issues, expressing worry for the safety of any woman in contact with him. She also noted the recent passing of Reeva’s father, Barry Steenkamp, attributing his death to the anguish of failing to protect his daughter.