By Tracy Connor, Staff Writer, NBC News
An uncle of slain model Reeva Steenkamp said he "can't answer" whether Oscar Pistiorius killed her on purpose but did say no one in the family had any idea the golden couple's romance would end so tragically.
"Nobody ever saw it coming," Mike Steenkamp told Rock Center with Brian Williams.
"Never forewarned."
Steenkamp, who gave the eulogy at his niece's funeral last week, said her parents Barry and June are so awash in grief they have not paid much attention to the legal drama that played out in a South African courtroom where Pistorius was freed on bail Friday.
They are focused, instead, on precious memories of a 29-year-old who hoped to make a difference with her law degree and who was excited about her starring role in a reality TV show that did not air until after her death.
"The saving grace was they never put all their anger onto the situation," Steenkamp said of the family's emotional state.
"Their focus was completely on Reeva," he told NBC's Mary Carillo.
"Nothing will be done until everything takes its course and only then will there be a reaction."
Of Pistorius, he added, "I don't like to comment on the way he is and what he does and the way things happened...I'll wait for that to sort itself out."
Pistorius, 26, is accused of intentionally shooting Steenkamp through the bathroom door of his home after a blazing Valentine's Day argument.
The double-amputee Olympic runner maintains he didn't know his girlfriend of four months was in the bathroom and that he thought there was a prowler.
Mike Steenkamp said his niece had been in an abusive relationship once and didn't "tolerate" domestic violence. Asked whether that meant she would have known if she was in danger from Pistorius, the uncle said, "it's very possible" but wouldn't comment on their relationship except to say they "looked happy."
"That's all gonna come out in the end," he said.
In the meantime, he said, her parents' "daily life is bumped up on tears and heartache."
"Mention the name of Reeva and he'll break down," he said of his brother. "And June, as well."
June Steenkamp managed to watch the first episode of her daughter's reality show, "Tropika Island," when it aired last week, but her husband had to leave the room.
In one outtake exclusively obtained by "Rock Center," the model talks about a horse-back riding accident she had a few years earlier that landed her in the hospital for a month -- and altered her plans for the future.
"I'm a model," she says. "I have a law degree as well, so hopefully one day I can be an advocate. But right now I'm enjoying traveling and being behind the camera."
Crew members are mourning her, too.
"She never changed, whether she was in front of the camera or off camera," cameraman James Boon said. "She was definitely the genuine article."
Related:
Oscar Pistorius granted bail ahead of murder trial
Blade Runner: Double amputee Oscar Pistorius sprints to the Olympics
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It may be an accident, and that is a reason "no one see it coming". They both just celebrated the Valentine's Eve together.
OK, you think you hear a prowler...don't bother to check if the person you are sleeping with is RIGHT NEXT TO IN BED OR NOT or safe at all. Don't call out any names or warnings, have time to put on your legs and just shoot wildly into a locked bathroom. Accident? Seriously? It does not add up in the simplest of terms. Anyone who thinks this was an accident is delusional. While we don't know exactly what happened, his story just does not add up.
I hope someone researches his past to see what kind of man he is. Does he let go easily or hang on until they are afraid of him? Valentine's Eve means nothing if you're abusive or just tired of dealing with someone that's constantly trying to control you. I hope we find out from his past.
This another OJ all over again. Money, fame, and knowing somebody will allow him to walk. Just like OJ,
They did not see it coming. They were clueless.....not looking for these signs and not told what went on in the secrets of the bedroom. Reeva was 30 years old. She would not have told her family, anything.
4 bullets. Did he hear her screaming for mercy?
And...Wouldn't any woman, hearing four gunshots in a bedroom, wake up screaming. Did he think she was sleeping through all that? Not likely mate.
If they were sleeping together, then it's somewhat bizarre for an intimate couple to be locking the doors on each other, especially one of of a toilet that's 7 meters distant from the bed. There's likely a sinister reason why she had locked herself inside. It's conceivable that she had received some "happy valentines" messages from other admirers, including perhaps one from her former rugby player . . . and disabled Oscar went berserk in a fit of jealousy.
She probably received half a ton of valentines from men all over the world and Stumpy couldn't handle it.
especially since Stumpy could not get the little stump up. Testosterone injections by the bed ? really.....Reeva, what were you thinking ? I hope her aspirations to be a rich woman did not lower her standards.....she had studied law and modeling...no psychology . Too bad. She would not have been with OP that night.
Reeva deserved a nice, big, liberal schlong. She should've had better than a tiny little gun-nut [my gun is my dick] pecker in the first place!
Mr. Pistorious's explanation is that he shot first, killed a human being that we are expected to believe he loved and asked questions later. I suspect his story of what happened that night is studded with some truthful events i.e. he heard a loud noise. That noise was the sound of Reeva slamming the bathroom and then the interior toilet door which she locked. It probably set him off after an evening of heated arguing and he went crazy. Why did she lock the toilet door if she felt safe with him?
He had time to get his gun, put his prosthetics on and didn't notice she wasn't next to him in bed.....I don't buy his story!
Plus...she had her clothes on! She was wearing white shorts and a black vest. Her shorts were ON. Not pulled down. She was probably getting dressed to leave and he couldn't handle it.
An Academy Award for Best Actor over the past few days. What a performance ! This is not the face of an innocent person. Surreptitious glances with a half smirk on his face and then apparently dissolving into tears ? Guilty - throw the book at him.
There was a mention of steroids mentioned, then some confusion as to whether there were or were not steroids there. If he was taking steroids, there is a very plausible explanation for what happened. There is something called steroid rage, an effect that can result from steroid use that causes uncontrollable rage in the individual. They could have had an argument and he lost control of his emotions and she ran into the bathroom and locked the door to escape from him. And in his rage, he picked up his gun, went after her and shot through the door. What happened has no appearance of a premeditated murder and he seems truly grief stricken over it. I think Pistorious is a good man with a good heart who has done so much for other handicapped people. But, in my opinion, he is like most of our superb athletes: taking performance enhancing drugs which eventually take an emotional and physical toll.
He looks and acts like a steroid junky but they found testosterone, from plant derivative with syringes by his bed. Evidently he was impotent. Testosterone is performance enhancement and is also prohibited in sports. He has some explaining to do with his running in addition to the murder. He is toast.
There was a mention of steroids found, then confusion as to whether or not they were steroids. If they were, it gives a plausible explanation for what happened. There is an effect from steroids known as steroid rage which causes uncontrollable rage in the individual. They may have had an argument and he flew into an uncontrollable rage, she ran away from him and locked herself in the bathroom and he picked up his gun and went after her. Then shot through the bathroom door. The whole scenario doesn't appear to be premeditated murder. And I do think he was truly grief stricken by what happened. Pistorious seems to be a good man with a good heart who has done so much for other handicapped individuals. But he may well be like so many of our superb athletes: taking performance enhancing drugs which take their emotional and physical toll in the end. In this case, a tragic end for another person.
He intentionally shot through a locked door at what he thought or knew was another person and killed that person. This we know because that is his story. Other then the crime of passion twist by some or his little boy story of a spook in the toilet the fact is his girlfriend is dead. Now he must deal with the consequences of his action as a court of law determines his future. Then again it may be legal to shoot at any concealed figment of your imagination.
"I think Pistorius is a good man with a good heart."
I don't...
A good man with a good heart would probably call an ambulance if he accidentally shot his girl friend. Not drag her downstairs and phone daddy. With that I could say he wanted to dispose of her body but the cops showed up. Vandersloot ring a bell?
He 100% knew he was shooting her through the bathroom door. For those of you who say this is not pre-meditated, then you don't know what pre-meditated murder is defined as.... Premeditated murder is the crime of wrongfully causing the death of another human being (also known as murder) after rationally considering the timing or method of doing so, in order to either increase the likelihood of success, or to evade detection or apprehension.[1] State laws in the United States vary as to definitions of "premeditation." In some states, premeditation may be construed as taking place mere seconds before the murder. Premeditated murder is usually defined as one of the most serious forms of homicide, and is punished more severely than manslaughter or other types of murder - often with the death penalty or a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The fact that he grabbed his gun, OBVIOUSLY saw that she was not in the bed, (KNEW SHE WAS IN THE BATHROOM) and put on his posthetic legs...IS PRE-MEDITATION! He then dragged her body downstairs and called his father NOT 911..... Just because you are handicapped and an Olympic athlete, doesn't make you any less of a monster!!!!
His story just doesn't make sense. If he's sleeping with his girlfriend, he'd call for help (911 in the US). He'd get her to safety first. Then he'd go check to see if an intruder is really in the house. No reason EVER to shoot into a LOCKED door. Nobody was coming after him; no one was threatening him at that point. An article said the police had been to the house a couple of hours earlier because they were fighting. If that's true, then this was a clear case of premeditated murder!!! He probably went into a jealous rage and she ran to hide. Her body was found "cowering" in the toilet room. She was afraid for her life. He's a cold blooded murderer. Let him rot in prison for the rest of his life.
well, now that he is free on bail, I feel sure he will never see the inside of a prison. Africa is a big country. Passport ? airport access ? who needs it ? only a bush pilot willing to take your illegal ass anywhere for money. Doable and easy. Reeva's family should be able to get all of his money, at some point. Civil court should be able to swing that as the world knows he killed her. Mistake or no mistake, premeditation or accident ? no matter...he killed her and they are entitled.
Totally agree, he is an insult to people's intelligence, phoned his family first and not an ambulance. He is full of it, so is the uncle, the father, the brother and feel sorry for the sister, she is dragged in and has to save face. It is a sham, I feel so much sadness for her, wanting to live her dreams, becoming what she intended everyday. Tweeting about love, oh how sad, he did not deserve her, I would be devastated, my child 4 months with a monster who killed her, he met his match in her, she bruised his ego. He will pay, whether in jail or not, in life, conscience, hell. His life will be a living hell, terrified to die, because then the real consequence comes, no money pockets in shrouds then Oscar.
ok-i am age 76-i have seen many troubled athletes-many involved with some drugs/booze as explained to me very privatly -general managers jobs @stake if word gets out-the pistorious family new the situation for years-i was class a squash athlete-in my day women were not really repected =as they are now-it was a male world-if females challenge athletic males-trouble-today i am very carefull handling/working with women-i worked with top cross-border lady exec with wells fargo toronto-she was spectacular supporter-but glass ceiling persisted[not with me]she was thrown out in one hour-why-meltdown-usa banks really ignorant re women in exec positions-in pistorious case-i think he lost it-and his carreer is finished-thats my logic
The star cross lovers as what the US media didn't report but the Foreign media did. The question of both families was when are you to getting married? Reeva told her family Oscar hasn't asked me yet, Oscar told his family he didn't want to take the attention from the release of her show. Well Oscar now has admitted the accident and will live with his lost of his soulmate for the rest of his life. The police messed up and like other cases just looked to target a well known person. The Media is using it for rating but the sad thing is a man accidentally took the life of the woman he loves.
I've got some great ocean-front property in Saskatchewan that I can sell you real cheap if you're interested.
I find it hard to believe, Oscar walks out to an opened balcony (supposedly scared of intruders, I don't think so) gets a fan brings it in. States he was watching television (what was he watching?) then says he hears an intruder, was sleeping on opposite side of bed he normally sleeps on? Gets up on stumps, apparently had to pass side Reeva was sleeping on 3 times, or 2? Never thought to wake her to tell her to be quiet, hide there is an intruder? Then goes and gets gun (on Reeva's side) then goes terrified for his life to the toilet and shoots four times (what an insult of intelligence). He was arguing with Reeva, somebody had sent her messages via facebook, twitter, or social network, he did not like it. They argue, he gets angry, she runs to the only safe place whilst he gets his legs on, the bathroom, locks the door cowers in toilet. Next thing he is shouting, screaming at her, I'm going to shoot you. She is terrified, at the end of the day, whether he had shot her or not she would have spoken about the incident, he could not afford that, so he said was intruder. He thinks he is untouchable, a few crocodile tears in court, full of sh...... he is a murderer, regardless of who he is he needs to pay for what he has done. You only have to look at him in court, smirking, why did she not scream? She never had a chance, that scum bag did not care for her, money talks, sh... walks. He thinks he is invincible, all that crap he felt vulnerable what about Reeva, she is the victim yet it is all about him. He goes home, that poor girl dead and cremated. He is a disgrace, he should not race again. The truth will come out, it always does, he will have to live with what he did for the rest of his life, his greatest consequence is the return home, the place for the after. Then you will pay Oscar, you are not a role model, there are people just like you with disabilities who challenge themselves everyday with nothing, you are not special you certainly are your NIKE SLOGAN aren't you, and as far as I am concerned, your family are in on it too, terrified you have ruined your life and making money. Tough! You are finished, tell you what take a lie detector test, no good on oath you are a liar and an insult to peoples intelligence. I sincerely send my greatest condolences to Reeva's parents, if it takes you forever fight for justice. He is a phoney, murderer liar, and God see's in his heart what he has done. Premeditated, yes, jealous yes, terrified his ego was hurt. You deserve to suffer as Barry said everyday. And you will. Rest assured. A MOTHER
I don't know how anyone can listen to his story without freaking out and calling him a liar. I'm an atheist and I would believe in GOD before I'd believe that story. This is preposterous, Peg, and what gets me is even Reeva's family are saying things like "If he's guilty he will suffer" If?? IF??? Even her family can't seem to stand up for her while Stumpy's family is behind him 110%!!
What ever has happened, he is 100% guilty and should be behind bars for the rest of his life. I cannot understand how these high profile lawyers are helping this murderer defend his case which has 0 credibility. And leroy brown is correct, why Reeva's family is not supporting their own daughters side so much and Oscar's family fully supporting their son. Their faces should hang in SHAME what Oscar has done. And how come this murderer couldn't see Reeva when he went to get his gun which he used to keep next to him while sleeping. What a Bull @!$%# story it is??? And I blame the Magistrate to believe his defence team and let him free on bail. This scum bag should be put in jail soon and no one is talking about the bloodied cricket bat and Reevas skull being badly crushed. Please wake up the prosecution team and fight very hard for innocent beautiful Reeva and finish this case as fast as you can.
Trace the records of Pistorius' previous girl friends to find out if there have been any violent relationship existed.
She was a new grad from law school, and had anyone not thought that she had the ability to discern and to report any abusive relationship before it fired up?
She had been trained as a lawyer; and she certainly knew how to protect herself and to identify the problems, or just signs and symptoms of the abusive relationship.
It may be an accident. There are numerous opportunity; for instance, they were supposed to dine out with their friends, but Pistorius' girl friend changed mind, and they had stayed home to have dinner; and if Pistorius had really planned to kill her, they should go out and after the dinner, somewhere on the road, he just shot her in car, and he could declare a robber attempt . . . And the killing would not have to mess up his home...
Thus, Pistorius' girl friend was not just there for one hour or two, but they both had prepared the dinner together in the kitchen, had dinner in the dinning room, had talking to each other . . . and suddenly Pistorius would wake up to carry out a killing plan from no where in the early morning after a nice meal and sharing a bed with her. Is this making sense to anyone?
Where is the motive of the charge of a premeditated murder?
She was not Pistorius' first girl friend, and there had not had any violence before the shooting, and there has been no report of any violent complaint against Pistorius from the past to present. The shooting was after the celebration of their valentine day at Pistorius' home.
A boy growing up from handicapped to becoming a model of Olympic has taken many falls becoming the greatest, and no one knows unless one is handicapped.
She had her iPad in the bathroom what did she post before he blasted away. Just saying
Billie-2352729 thinks this killing is an accident. She doesn't think Oscar had time to premeditate murder because he and Reeva had been together all evening and he didn't shoot her until she went into the bathroom and locked the door. But for a killing to be found other than premeditated murder--intent, timing, motivation and the killer's immediate state of mind are considered. For example, even when someone kills in the heat of passion--usually it requires that the act be an uninterrupted reaction--such as walking in on your baba in bed with your best friend and grabbing your cricket bat at the end of your bed and bashing them both over their heads--or pulling your gun and badabingbadabang. Pistorious has made a statement, but not all the evidence--which will include the state and perhaps others speaking for Reeva—has not yet been presented. Until the trial is over, we won't know everything we need to know to do anything more than speculate on what type of killing this was and what the justified punishment. Whatever that turns out to be--this will always be a tragedy.
I just dont think he has a LEG to stand on!!!