Oscar Pistorius Trial: Neighbor Testifies In Support Of Paralympian, Says ‘Desperate’ Runner ‘Was Asking God’ To Save Reeva Steenkamp
May 5 2014, Published 11:20 a.m. ET
Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial in the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp resumed in South Africa's Pretoria court Monday after a two-week hiatus, with Johan Stander, one of the Olympian’s neighbors, testifying that the accused murderer was "torn apart,” “really crying” and “in pain" the morning of the Feb. 14, 2013 slaying.
Stander said he received a call from the paralympian around 3:18 or 3:19 a.m. the morning of the killing, in which Pistorius pleaded, “Johan, please, please, please come to my house. Please. I shot Reeva. I thought she was an intruder. Please come quick!”
Stander, who arrived at the death scene with his daughter Carice Viljoen, told the court he interpreted the Blade Runner’s behavior in the wake of the shooting to be indicative of a lovelorn man shattered by a horrific — and accidental — twist of fate.
"I saw the truth there that morning — I saw it and I felt it," Stander said, adding that he thought the 27-year-old had made a valiant and "committed" effort to save the life of his lover.