The photos of Oscar Pistorius and girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp appear to show a young couple in love . The series of images , given exclusively to CNN by a source close to Pistorius , come as the Olympic runner faces a bleak anniversary : one year since he shot his girlfriend dead at his home on Valentine 's Day . Pistorius will go on trial accused of Steenkamp 's murder early next month . He denies the charge , saying he mistook her for a home invader . The intimate pictures -- some of the final images of the 29-year-old model , taken in the weeks and months before her death -- show the couple looking relaxed and happy . In one , Steenkamp wraps her arms around Pistorius , hanging over his shoulders as he tenderly holds on to her fingers . They grin happily at the camera . The couple are at the beach , with blue waters glistening behind them , and appear relaxed , casually dressed and in sunglasses . Another blurry picture was taken in a kitchen . The fridge magnets are as much in focus as Steenkamp 's smiling face as she sits on her boyfriend 's lap . She looks dressed up for a night out in a sleeveless black dress with gold trim that sets off her sleek blond hair . Again , they are holding on to each other tightly . The third image is more intimate and passionate , as Pistorius holds Steenkamp protectively in his arms . His eyes are closed as she seems to nestle into him . The photo is not just a holiday picture , but an aching reminder of a relationship and a life cruelly ended on Valentine 's Day a year ago . Pistorius looks back a year after killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp . 'Devastating accident ' or murder ? Pistorius , who won world fame for his achievements as a double-amputee runner , fatally shot his girlfriend of three months in the early hours of February 14 , when he fired through a bathroom door in his home . Her death at the hands of an athlete regarded as South Africa 's golden boy shocked the world . Pistorius does not deny shooting Steenkamp , a law school graduate with a burgeoning TV and fashion career , but says it was a `` devastating accident . '' Police say it was murder and will try to prove in court that the couple had an argument before the shots were fired , legal experts say . The trial , which starts on March 3 before a high court judge , is expected to attract international interest . While the photos prove nothing with regard to Pistorius ' guilt or innocence , they give an insight into the couple 's shared experiences and apparent intimacy before her death . In a statement released on his website on the anniversary of the shooting , Pistorius said : `` The loss of Reeva and the complete trauma of that day , I will carry with me for the rest of my life . '' In a recent statement , Barry and June Steenkamp , Reeva 's parents , said they would like to thank people for their condolences . `` We understand and empathize with friends who have lost a child through violence or abuse , '' they said .
Photos show Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp together not long before her death . One shows Steenkamp hanging over his shoulders , as he tenderly holds her fingers . Another shows her nestling into his shoulder as he holds her in his arms . The photos were taken on the night of February 14, 2013, just hours after she was shot to death.