Oscar Pistorius applies for parole Friday, 10 years after a shocking murder

Oscar Pistorius may be paroled Friday after nearly 10 years in prison for murder.

This is the latest development in the case of the double-amputee Olympic runner, who was a world-renowned athlete before shooting his fiancée numerous times through a toilet door at home.

After being mistakenly denied early release at a first hearing in March, Pistorius, who turned 37 this week, was sent to prison in late 2014 and given a second chance at parole eight months later. An appeals court miscalculated Pistorius' jail term start date and whether he had served enough time.

For killing Reeva Steenkamp in the predawn hours of Valentine's Day 2013, he was initially convicted of culpable homicide, similar to manslaughter. An appeal by prosecutors reversed that verdict and convicted him of murder. Pistorius was sentenced to 13 years and five months after appealing a six-year murder conviction.

South African serious criminals must serve half their sentence before being paroled, as Pistorius has done.

At his murder trial, Pistorius said he killed Steenkamp by mistake and thought she was a dangerous intruder hiding in his bathroom at night when he fired four times through the door with his licensed 9 mm pistol. Prosecutors claimed Pistorius killed Steenkamp in a rage after she ran to the toilet cubicle following a late-night altercation.

At the height of his glory and months after becoming the first double-amputee Olympic athlete, Pistorius was killed. Despite having both legs amputated below the knee as a newborn, he became a multiple Paralympic sprinting champion and one of sports most marketable icons. He ran on carbon-fiber blades.

Parole boards consider the offender's prison behavior, mental health, and community risk. They have several parole options. Full parole or day parole allow Pistorius to live and work in the community but return to prison at night.

The Department of Corrections told the parole board “to work out the placement date should an inmate be declared ready to be placed on parole.” Pistorius may not be released immediately.