South African police have found a bloodied cricket bat at the home of Oscar Pistorius following the Valentine’s Day killing of his model girlfriend.
The star athlete was charged on Friday with the murder of 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp who was shot dead at his luxury Pretoria home in a case that has gripped the world. Police sources close to the investigation said Steenkamp’s skull had been ‘crushed’.
‘There was lots of blood on the bat,’ one source told the paper. Police are investigating whether the bat was used to assault Steenkamp, who was shot four times in the early hours of Thursday, or if she used it to defend herself.
Police have dismissed initial suggestions that Pistorius, 26, could have mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder, and City Press said she was wearing a nightie at the time of the killing.
‘The suspicion is that the first shot, in the bedroom, hit her in the hip. She then ran and hid herself in the toilet... He fired three more shots,’ a police source informed.
Pistorius, a national icon, is spent the weekend in a police cell after being charged with murder. He is due to apply for bail at a new court hearing on Tuesday, the same day a memorial service will be held for his slain girlfriend.
Pistorius, who had been going out with Steenkamp since late last year, faces a life sentence if con-victed of premeditated murder, as alleged by state prosecutors.
His family indicated that the star athlete, who broke down sobbing during his initial court appearance on Friday, would plead not guilty.
‘We have no doubt there is no substance to the allegation and that the state’s own case, including its own forensic evidence, strongly refutes any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all,’ his uncle Arnold Pistorius said in a statement.
PISTORIUS’ AGENT CANCELLING RACES
Mean while, Pistorius’ agent has begun cancelling races since the athlete got charged with murder. Peet van Zyl told mediapersons that he just cancelled the contract for a high-profile re-match next month with fellow double-amputee Alan Oliveira to promote the 2016 Rio Games. Oliveira, who beat Pistorius in 200m at London Paralympics last year, and Pistorius were to run in Rio de Janeiro in March. ‘I can’t plan. I will only have him run when he is in a condition to run as a world-class athlete,’ Van Zyl said.
The star athlete was charged on Friday with the murder of 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp who was shot dead at his luxury Pretoria home in a case that has gripped the world. Police sources close to the investigation said Steenkamp’s skull had been ‘crushed’.
‘There was lots of blood on the bat,’ one source told the paper. Police are investigating whether the bat was used to assault Steenkamp, who was shot four times in the early hours of Thursday, or if she used it to defend herself.
Police have dismissed initial suggestions that Pistorius, 26, could have mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder, and City Press said she was wearing a nightie at the time of the killing.
‘The suspicion is that the first shot, in the bedroom, hit her in the hip. She then ran and hid herself in the toilet... He fired three more shots,’ a police source informed.
Pistorius, a national icon, is spent the weekend in a police cell after being charged with murder. He is due to apply for bail at a new court hearing on Tuesday, the same day a memorial service will be held for his slain girlfriend.
Pistorius, who had been going out with Steenkamp since late last year, faces a life sentence if con-victed of premeditated murder, as alleged by state prosecutors.
His family indicated that the star athlete, who broke down sobbing during his initial court appearance on Friday, would plead not guilty.
‘We have no doubt there is no substance to the allegation and that the state’s own case, including its own forensic evidence, strongly refutes any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all,’ his uncle Arnold Pistorius said in a statement.
PISTORIUS’ AGENT CANCELLING RACES
Mean while, Pistorius’ agent has begun cancelling races since the athlete got charged with murder. Peet van Zyl told mediapersons that he just cancelled the contract for a high-profile re-match next month with fellow double-amputee Alan Oliveira to promote the 2016 Rio Games. Oliveira, who beat Pistorius in 200m at London Paralympics last year, and Pistorius were to run in Rio de Janeiro in March. ‘I can’t plan. I will only have him run when he is in a condition to run as a world-class athlete,’ Van Zyl said.