South African athlete Oscar Pistorius was released on parole on Friday after serving nearly nine years in prison for shooting and killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013.
Pistorius, a former double amputee Olympic runner who competed against able-bodied athletes and hailed him as an inspiration, was serving a 13-year sentence at Atteridgeville Correctional Center in South Africa's capital Pretoria.
Few details about his release were available, but the announcement from the state Department of Corrections was made around 8:30 a.m. local time, according to the Associated Press.
Pistorius was convicted of murder in 2015 and sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison. In South Africa, those who commit serious crimes are eligible for parole after serving at least half of their sentence.
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FILE – South Africa's Oscar Pistorius starts in the men's 400m semi-final at the 2012 London Summer Olympics. (AP Photo/Anya Niedringhaus, File)
The Department of Corrections announced at the time that Pistorius was granted parole on November 24 under various conditions, including not leaving the Pretoria area. According to the Associated Press, he will live at his uncle's mansion in an upscale residential area on the outskirts of Waterkloof.
They will also be required to participate in a program to deal with anger issues and will be required to perform community service. His parole conditions will last for five years.
Prison staff search a car at the main gate of Atteridgeville Prison in Pretoria, South Africa, on Friday, January 5. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
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At his murder trial, Pistorius said he mistakenly killed Steenkamp, 29, by firing four shots through the door with a licensed 9mm handgun in the middle of the night, thinking he was a dangerous intruder hiding in his bathroom. He testified that he did.
Prosecutors argued Pistorius killed her in a fit of rage after fleeing to a bathroom stall during a late-night argument.
FILE – Mourners carry the program at Reeva Steenkamp's funeral in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on February 19, 2013. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)
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Pistorius was initially found guilty of murder, amounting to manslaughter. This conviction was overturned and, on appeal by the prosecution, he was convicted of murder.
They also appealed the initial six-year sentence for murder, and Pistorius was ultimately sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison.
Fox News Digital contacted the South African Correctional Service but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan and Rebecca Rosenberg and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
