Oscar Pistorius Found Guilty of Murder by Appeals Court: Full Details, Reaction

Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was found guilty of the murder of Reeva Steenkamp by a South African appeals court on Thursday.

The initial conviction handed to the South African by Judge Thokozile Masipa—one of culpable homicide—was overturned following a successful Nov. 3 appeal from the state.

News of the appeals court verdict, handed down by Judge Eric Leach, came via Sky News' Alex Crawford:

Judge Masipa will now be tasked with passing a new sentence for the Paralympic gold medallist in line with the conviction of murder, per Reuters (h/t the Guardian).

The 29-year-old had been released on house arrest on Oct. 19 after serving 12 months in prison, four years less than his initial sentence. He now almost certainly faces a return to jail, per Crawford.

Uncredited/Associated Press/Associated Press

Pistorius fatally shot his girlfriend four times through a locked toilet door at his Pretoria home on Feb. 14, 2013, insisting he mistook her for an intruder.

According to Reuters, "Prosecutors said Pistorius, 29, should be convicted of murder and sent back to jail because he knew the person behind the door could be killed when he fired. A murder conviction has a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison."

Judge Masipa had ruled in the initial trial "that the state had failed to prove Pistorius had shown intent or dolus eventualis, a legal concept that centres on a person being held responsible for the foreseeable consequences of their actions," according to Reuters.

Five appeal court judges were charged with considering Judge Masipa's application of the law, not the facts of the case, per BBC News. Their verdict overruled her decision.

Barry Bateman of Eyewitness News provided a key line from Judge Leach's ruling:

The Pistorius family released a brief statement following the verdict, per Sky News Australia:

Prior to the shooting, Pistorius was an inspiration to many for what he had achieved in the world of athletics. A six-time Paralympic champion, he also became the first double-leg amputee ever to compete in the Olympics Games, representing South Africa in the 400 metres and 4x400 metres relay at the London showpiece in 2012.

Pistorius, who was not present at Thursday's announcement, according to Crawford, can appeal to South Africa's Constitutional Court.