Breaking News: Oscar Pistorius Conviction In Killing Of Girlfriend Upgraded To Murder

 

  File: Oscar Pistorius appears at a court in Pretoria, South Africa, Monday, Aug. 19, 2013. | AP/Themba Hadebe

The South African Supreme Court of Appeal has found Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius guilty of murder for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day two years ago, throwing out his previous manslaughter conviction.

Judge Lorimer Leach made the announcement Thursday, December 3, 2015 at the court in Bloemfontein.

Pistorius, 29, was convicted of  culpable homicide of Steenkamp by High Court Judge Thokozile Masipa and handed a five- year jail sentence has in October last year. He was eligible to serve the rest of his term at home after 10 months.

The Olympian has been under house arrest since October when he was released from jail.

Pistorius shot Steenkamp with four hollow-point bullets in his bathroom.

A murder conviction carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in South Africa.