Oscar Pistorius Cries As He’s Indicted For Murder Of Model

“Blade runner” Oscar Pistorius has been indicted for murder in the shooting death of model Reeva Steenkamp, after an investigation into the incident wrapped up last week.

Oscar Pistorius’ indictment came on the day Steenkamp would have turned 30. On February 14, the athlete shot and killed Steenkamp in his Pretoria home, during an incident that has been described as both a case of mistaken identity as well as a premeditated murder.

Pistorius originally said he believed that Steenkamp was an intruder, and that he shot her before he realized he wasn’t firing at a stranger.

However, a subsequent investigation revealed several bits of evidence that pointed to potential holes in Pistorius’ retelling, some of which were referenced in the indictment read in court Monday. The athlete is said to have wiped away tears during the brief hearing.

In part, the state’s case against Oscar Pistorius read:

“Some of the State witnesses heard a woman scream, followed by moments of silence, then heard gunshots. The deceased had locked herself into the toilet cubicle, situated adjacent to the main bedroom. The accused armed himself with his 9mm pistol and through the locked door, fired four shots at the deceased.”

NBC adds that Pistorius had “reached for a pistol under his bed because he felt vulnerable without his prosthetic limbs,” but said he’d never have harmed Reeva Steenkamp, with whom he was “deeply in love.”

The Los Angeles Times notes that Pistorius’ assertion about his prosthetics is another key aspect of the prosecution, explaining:

“The most telling evidence may be in records on cellphones found at Pistorius’ home and through examination of the toilet cubicle door through which Pistorius shot four bullets, hitting Steenkamp three times and killing her. The angle or trajectory of the bullets could show if Pistorius was standing on his stumps when he shot, as he says, or if he was on his prosthetics, as the prosecution maintains — a marked difference in the two accounts.”

Oscar Pistorius’ trial date was set for March 3.