Oscar Pistorius freed on parole after serving nearly 9 years for girlfriend's murder

Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius was released from prison on parole early Friday morning and was believed to be at his uncle’s mansion after authorities secretly moved the world-famous double-amputee athlete who killed his girlfriend at an undisclosed time to avoid the glare of news crews waiting outside the jail. South Africa’s Department of Corrections announced in a two-sentence statement at around 8:30 a.m. that Pistorius had been released and was “now at home.” It gave no more details other than to confirm Pistorius’ new status as “a parolee.” Pistorius, 37, served nearly nine years of his murder sentence of 13 years and five months for the fatal shooting of model and law graduate Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013. The Department of Corrections said ahead of Pistorius’ release that it would not publicize his parole time and he was not going to be “paraded” so as to keep him away from the media that has trailed him since he shot Steenkamp multiple times through a toilet door at his Pretoria villa more than a decade ago. “We who remain behind are the ones serving a life sentence.” “With the release of Oscar Pistorius on parole, my only desire is that I will be allowed to live my last years in peace with my focus remaining on the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation, to continue Reeva’s legacy.” The Department of Corrections has emphasized that the champion Paralympic sprinter’s release — like every other offender on parole — does not mean that he has served his time.