Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius, better known to fans as Blade Runner, was charged Thursday with the murder of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp.
The shooting occurred at his home in South Africa, and the Associated Press reports that Pistorius is a known gun enthusiast:
Pistorius joins a list of notable athletes who have been involved in murder-related cases. The following list does not include cases of athletes killing someone in drunk-driving accidents (Leonard Little, Donte Stallworth, Craig MacTavish) or failed murder attempts (Mike Danton, Darryl Henley, Ugueth Urbina).
Notable Athletes In Murder-Related Cases Slideshow
Oscar Pistorius
Pistorius, the first double amputee runner to run on prosthetic blades in the Olympics, has been charged in the death of his girlfriend. Early reports that he mistook her for a burglar have been disputed by police.
O.J. Simpson
Simpson was acquitted after being charged for the 1994 murders of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman. He lost the judgment in a civil case of wrongful death in 1997. Simpson is in prison after being convicted on felony charges from a 2007 robbery in Las Vegas.
Rae Carruth
Carruth, a receiver for the Carolina Panthers, was convicted in 2001 of plotting to kill his pregnant girlfriend. Cherica Adams died weeks after being shot in November 1999. Carruth was acquitted of first-degree murder but was found guility of conspiracy.
Jayson Williams
Williams, who was an All-Star center for the Nets, accidentally killed a limo driver with a shotgun in 2002. Williams was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter -- the most serious charge he faced -- but he was found guilty on four lesser charges for attempting to cover up the crime.
Ray Lewis
Lewis was charged with murder in 2000 after the deaths of two people outside a night club in Atlanta shortly before the Super Bowl. The charges were dropped when Lewis pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and agreed to testify against two co-defendants.
Anthony Smith
Smith, the Raiders' leader in sacks during the 1992 season, is awaiting trial for four murders. For more details, check out this story.
Jovan Belcher
Belcher, a Chiefs linebacker, fatally shot his girlfriend on Dec. 1, and then killed himself later that day outside the team's stadium in Kansas City.
