Reeva Steenkamp was a celebrated South African model who was assassinated by Oscar Pistorius, her famous Olympian boyfriend. She was a stunning beauty who was murdered on Valentine’s Day 2013 at her boyfriend’s home in South Africa. Reeva began modeling in her teens and moved to Johannesburg to pursue a career in the fashion industry after earning a Bachelor of Laws degree. She was a striking blonde with blue-green eyes who appeared on the cover of FHM magazine and later in advertisements for various mainstream brands in South Africa. She began dating Oscar in November 2012 after meeting him through a mutual friend. However, this relationship devolved into a nightmare on Valentine’s Day 2013, when Oscar fatally shot her at his home. Police arrested him almost immediately on murder charges, and while the defense did not deny the bathroom shooting, they maintained a consistent narrative that it was a tragic accident, not an outrageous murder. He was ultimately convicted of culpable homicide and sentenced to five years in prison. Apart from being a successful model, she was also an advocate against domestic violence. She was a vibrant celebrity and a stunning model who tragically lost her career.
Childhood & Adolescence
She was born in Cape Town, South Africa on August 19, 1983 to Barry Steenkamp, a horse trainer, and June Steenkamp, his second wife. She had two older brothers and sisters, Adam and Simone.
She moved to Port Elizabeth with her family as a child and began modeling in her teens. She received her early education at Port Elizabeth’s St Dominic’s Priory School.
After graduating from high school, she enrolled in a law course at the University of Port Elizabeth, which later merged with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University to form Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. She earned a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2005.
Career of Reeva
She began modeling in her adolescence. She entered a beauty pageant organized by a local newspaper at the age of 15. Barbara Robertson, the paper’s then-beauty editor, noticed her at the show. She later relocated to Johannesburg from Port Elizabeth to pursue a career in the fashion industry.
In 2004, she was one of the Weekend Post’s Faces of the Future finalists. She was a finalist in the Herald Miss Port Elizabeth contest in 2005.
Later in life, she became a model and FHM magazine cover girl. She was the first face of Avon cosmetics in South Africa and also modeled for a jewelry company called ‘Sivana Diamonds.’
Throughout her teens and early twenties, she pursued a career in the glamour industry, and by the early 2000s, she had established herself as one of South Africa’s most sought-after models. She was featured in advertisements for a variety of international brands, including ‘Avon Cosmetics,’ ‘Toyota,’ ‘KFC,’ Cardinal Beer, and Tiger Beer.
Additionally, she was an ambassador for ‘EVOX Nutrition.’ In 2012, she appeared on the BBC Lifestyle show ‘Baking Made Easy’ as a celebrity contestant.
In 2012, she was cast as a celebrity contestant on the adventure reality show Tropika Island’s fifth season. On February 16, 2013, two days after her death, the series premiered.
She also worked as a paralegal in addition to her modeling career. She applied to the bar in 2011 with the goal of becoming a legal advocate within two years, by the age of 30.
Awards and Accomplishments
She was twice named one of FHM Magazine’s “100 Sexiest Women in the World.” In 2011, she was ranked #40, and in 2012, she was ranked #45.
Personal History and Legacies
She was an avid horse rider until an accident occurred in her early twenties. She fractured her back and was confined to her bed for months. Later on, she regained her ability to walk.
She had been involved with an allegedly emotionally abusive boyfriend prior to moving to Johannesburg, with whom she eventually ended her relationship. She then dated Springbok rugby player Francois Hougaard for a brief period of time.
She has been dating Oscar Pistorius, the renowned South African Paralympic and Olympic athlete, since November 2012. The couple met on November 4, 2012, at a car event through a mutual friend and began dating shortly thereafter.
Regrettably, she was discovered dead on Valentine’s Day 2013 in the home of her boyfriend in Pretoria, South Africa. According to police reports, she was shot and killed on February 14, 2013, suffering bullet wounds to the hip, head, and one arm. Oscar was arrested and charged with murder shortly after her death was reported.
On February 19, 2013, her body was cremated at Port Elizabeth’s Victoria Park crematorium. Oscar presented his testimony to the Magistrate Court in Pretoria on February 19, 2013, during which he admitted to shooting her at his home five days earlier, but not intentionally. He claims he mistook her for an intruder and shot her multiple times through his home’s bathroom door.
Oscar was convicted of culpable homicide on September 12, 2014, which is defined in the case as ‘the unlawful negligent killing of a human being.’ He was sentenced to five years in prison for his act nine days later, on October 21, 2014.
Estimated Net Worth
Reeva Steenkamp is one of the wealthiest models and is ranked as the most popular. Reeva Steenkamp’s net worth is estimated to be around $1.5 million, based on our analysis of Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.