Double amputee Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, who murdered his model girlfriend inside her home in 2013, was released on parole from a South African prison on Friday after serving half of his sentence.
The disgraced Olympian was taken directly to his uncle's luxurious three-storey mansion, where he is expected to spend the remainder of his parole.
Armed guards, electronic protection equipment and several “attack dogs” are stationed on the premises.
Pistorius was serving a 13-year, five-month prison sentence for the murder of his girlfriend, model and law graduate Reeva Steenkamp, 29.
The multiple gold medal-winning Paralympic runner shot Steenkamp four times through the bathroom door on Valentine's Day.
During his murder trial, which began in 2014, Pistorius claimed he mistook his girlfriend for a robber when he used ammunition designed to cause maximum bodily harm.
He was originally sentenced to five years in prison by the High Court in 2014 for manslaughter.
South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal later found Pistorius guilty of murder, a more serious charge, in late 2015.
The Olympic athlete was sentenced to six years in prison in 2016, but prosecutors appealed again in 2017, arguing that the sentence was too lenient and more than doubled Pistorius's prison term.
Pistorius' attempt was completed in March this year, and he was granted parole in November last year and will serve out the remainder of his sentence in the community corrections system.
However, Ms Steenkamp's mother maintained her belief that Pistorius intentionally killed her daughter.
June Steenkamp said in a statement after Pistorius was granted parole on November 24, “I cannot believe Mr. Oscar's claim that he thought the person in the bathroom was a robber.''
Pistorius, known as “Blade Runner” for his carbon fiber prosthetic legs, became the first double amputee to compete at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Mr Pistorius, who is set to begin parole, was warned: He may be targeted for assassination in retaliation for Steenkamp's murder.
