Pistorius breaks down in court

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Oscar Pistorius ... weeps during his court hearing in Pretoria. Source:AP

Prosecutors say they will pursue a premeditated murder charge against Oscar Pistorius as the star openly wept in court on Friday.

Pistorius was formally charged at Pretoria Magistrate's Court with one count of murder.

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Reeva Steenkamp, a model and budding reality TV show participant, was shot and killed at Pistorius' upmarket home in an eastern suburb of the South African capital in the predawn hours of Thursday, sending the country reeling.

Pistorius stood with his face in his hands as he broke down in tears on his first court appearance.

The magistrate delayed Pistorius' bail hearing until next Tuesday and Wednesday and ruled that the 26-year-old Pistorius would be held at a Pretoria police station until then.

Pistorius' father, Henke, was in the court as was his brother Carl, sister Aimee and other supporters of the 26-year-old double-amputee athlete.

Oscar Pistorius ... weeps during his court hearing in Pretoria.

Police said Friday an autopsy on the body of the victim was taking place.

Lt. Col. Katlego Mogale said the results of the autopsy would not be published.

Twenty-six-year-old Pistorius -- known globally as "Blade Runner" is accused of killing blonde cover girl Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot four times with a 9mm pistol registered in Pistorius's name.

Scene of the crime ... journalists wait outside the main entrance of Pistorius's estate. Source: AFP

She suffered wounds to the head and hand and died in the early hours of Thursday.

The sprinter spent the night behind bars, being subject to blood-alcohol, DNA and other tests, as forensics experts continued to work at his house in an upscale Pretoria estate.

Lawyer Kenny Oldwage earlier said his client was "very well, obviously emotional, but fine."

The police said they will oppose bail and have poured icy water on early reports that Pistorius had shot his 29-year-old girlfriend after mistaking her for a burglar.

Police were called to Pistorius's upscale Pretoria home at around 4:00 am by neighbours who heard gunshots.

He is the only suspect in the case.

The sprinter became an international celebrity during last year's London Olympics, inspiring millions as the first double-amputee to give able bodied competitors a run for their money.

Now his apparent fall from grace has equally captured the attention of millions around the world.

He was publicly adored in his native South Africa, though questions had been raised about his colourful private life that was replete with glamorous girlfriends, guns and fast cars.

"Obviously we are shocked," his father Henke Pistorius told AFP. "He is with the police and the matter is in the hands of the authorities."

Steenkamp, once an FHM cover girl, was described as "the kindest, sweetest human being; an angel on earth," by Sarit Tomlins of her management agency.

Born in Cape Town, she grew up in Port Elizabeth where she graduated with a degree in law from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

Police revealed there had been previous allegations of domestic disputes at Pistorius's home.

"There were always rumours attracted to Oscar Pistorius, but most of them I just put down to him being a celebrity," said Kyle Wood, a 25-year-old fellow resident of the gated community.

Pistorius ... a groundbreaking athlete. Source: AP

In 2009 Pistorius spent a night in jail after allegedly assaulting a 19-year-old woman at a party.

He has often spoken publicly about his fondness for guns.

Last year he told a newspaper he sleeps with a pistol, machine gun, cricket bat and baseball bat for fear of burglars.

There are an estimated 1.5 million gun owners in South Africa, where crime remains a major problem.

Many residents keep weapons at home and equip their houses with electric fences and panic buttons that summon heavily armed guards within minutes.

In November, Pistorius tweeted about arriving home and hearing the washing machine on "and thinking it's an intruder to go into full combat recon mode into the pantry! waa."

Pistorius was also known as an adrenaline junkie, with a love of speed reflected in a passion for motorbikes. Four years ago he crashed his boat in a river south of Johannesburg, breaking two ribs, an eye socket and his jaw.

Empty alcohol bottles were found in the boat, but his blood alcohol content was not tested.

Until now his problems off the track had been eclipsed by his success on it.

The Johannesburg-born athlete won gold in the 4x100m relay and the 400m individual at the Paralympic Games in London. He was triple gold medallist in the Beijing games in 2008.

He was named by Time Magazine last year as one of the world's 100 most influential people.

He had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11-months-old after being born without lower leg bones. But he played sports unhindered while growing up, switching to running after fracturing a knee playing rugby.

Today sponsors are racing to distance themselves from the sprinter whom they once feted.

A South African pay television channel has canned a campaign featuring the runner.

There was no immediate comment from global sports giant Nike on its sponsorship of Pistorius, whom it featured in an advert showing the runner setting off from the starting blocks with the line "I am the bullet in the chamber".

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