Love You to Death: The Valentine’s Day Murder of Reeva Steenkamp

Oscar Pistorius was born on November 22, 1986, in Johannesburg, South Africa. Oscar was born with fibular hemimelia in both legs, a congenital absence of the fibular, or calf bone. When he was 11 months old, both of his legs were amputated between his knees and ankles. 

Regardless of his physical limitations, Oscar excelled in sports. He played rugby, water polo and participated in wrestling. After a rugby knee injury in 2003, Oscar switched his sport to running.

While attending the University of Pretoria, Oscar honed in his running skills. But school wasn’t his main concern.

He wanted to be the best at running and spent most of his time practicing instead of studying. He soon became known as “Blade Runner.”

Oscar proved successful in many races including several Paralympics and even represented South Africa in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.

With medals and sponsorship deals, Oscar was at the top of his game. 

Reeva and Oscar met in November of 2012 through a mutual friend. They immediately hit it off and were practically inseparable for the next three months.

According to Oscar: “I was very keen on Reeva. I think, if anything, I was maybe more into her than she was at times to me. I let her just take her space but it wasn't always easy. I was besotted.”

Friends of Reeva reported her hesitancy with Oscar. She wanted to be with him but many times he was too possessive and surprisingly aggressive. His intensity was sometimes overwhelming. 

Oscar was known as a hothead and had several past instances of violent behavior towards others. But despite some of his red-flag behavior, Oscar won Reeva over. 

On February 13, 2012, Reeva was practicing her speech she was to give the next day to high school students for “Black Friday Campaign for Rape Awareness.”

When Reeva was satisfied with her final speech, she finished wrapping her Valentine’s gift for Oscar. It would be their first Valentine’s Day together.

In the card for Oscar, she wrote: “I think today is a good day to tell you that, I love you.”

Just a few hours after going to bed, Reeva Steenkamp was shot multiple times by her boyfriend of three months, Oscar Pistorius.

According to Oscar, he woke up in the predawn hours of February 14. He went out onto his bedroom balcony to retrieve a fan. While there, he heard a noise coming from the bathroom.

Assuming it was an intruder, Oscar claimed he grabbed his 9mm pistol and ran to the closed bathroom door.

Upon hearing more noises, he shot four times through the door. Glancing towards the bed and where Reeva should be sleeping, he saw it empty. He realized that it was must have been Reeva inside the bathroom and not an intruder.

Horrified, Oscar grabbed a bat and began beating the door down to get to Reeva. Upon gaining entry, he sees his Reeva dead on the floor.

Soon after Reeva’s death, Oscar was arrested and charged with her murder. His trial began on March 3, 2014. While Oscar admitted to shooting Reeva, he maintained that he thought he was shooting an intruder.

The prosecution claimed Oscar’s temper got the better of him and during a late night argument with Reeva, he shot her intentionally. They brought up his past violent behaviors including a time when he slammed a door on a woman causing her injuries.

The charges were eventually dropped.

The prosecution also pointed to a text message sent from Reeva to Oscar just three weeks before her killing: "I'm scared of you sometimes, of how you snap at me.”

On September 12, 2024, Oscar was found not guilty of murder but guilty of the culpable homicide of Reeva Steenkamp. Oscar was sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison.

On January 5, 2024, Oscar Pistorius was released on parole after serving nine years of his sentence.

From the speech she was to make to students on the day of her death: “Be brave ... See the positive ... Make your voice heard."