Olympian and murderer Oscar Pistorius out on parole

The double-amputee sprinter was freed on Friday after serving about nine years in prison for killing his then-girlfriend, South African model Reeva Steenkamp, in 2013. Pistorius made history at the 2012 Olympics in London, competing as the first amputee in an Olympic track event. He wore carbon-fiber running blades to compete, earning him the nickname “Blade Runner.” Pistorius fatally shot Steenkamp through a bathroom door in the middle of the night, claiming that he thought she was an intruder. He was ultimately convicted of murder and sentenced to just over 13 years in prison. Pistorius still maintains her death was an accident despite the conviction.

How is a convicted murderer getting released before the end of his sentence? South African law allows convicts to be eligible for parole after they’ve served at least half of their sentence. Officials granted his appeal last November. Pistorius will be bound to strict parole rules, including not speaking to the press until his sentence expires in 2029.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read a report on Pistorius’ initial charges.