Cricket bat smeared with blood found at Pistorius home: Report

Johannesburg: According to a local newspaper, South African police have found a bloodied cricket bat from the house of Olympian and Paralympian Oscar Pistorius on Friday who has been charged with murder of his 29-year old girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Reeva was shot four times by Pistorius in his house on Thursday.

According to police, Reeva's skull was completely crushed, and they found a lot of blood on the cricket bat. They are are investigating whether the bat was used to assault Reeva or if she used it to defend herself.

Pistorius, who was dating Reeva for over an year, will face a life sentence if he is found guilty of premeditated murder, as alleged by state prosecutors. Pistorius will be applying for bail on Tuesday and co-incidentally a memorial service will take place for Reeva on the same day.

Police are investigating whether the bat was used to assault Reeva, who was shot four times in the early hours of Thursday, or if she used it to defend herself.

Police have cancelled the idea that Pistorius could have mistaken Reeva for a burglar, and the newspaper said she was wearing a nightie at the time of the killing.

Giving a strong indication that the athlete plans to plead not guilty to shooting the model, Pistorius's uncle on Saturday had refuted the charges of premeditated murder.

"We have no doubt there is no substance to the allegation and that the state's own case, including its own forensic evidence, strongly refutes any possibility of a premeditated murder or indeed any murder at all," told Oscar's uncle Arnold Pistorius in a statement as quoted by AFP.

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