A PEEBLES woman charged with killing her lover's wife has had her murder charge dropped.

Rita Heyster, 57, had been on trial at Edinburgh High Court charged with murdering mother-of-four Carol Jarvis.

However the judge ruled this morning (Friday) ruled there was "insufficient evidence" against Heyster.

Her defence had entered a plea of no case to answer at the High Court in Edinburgh after the Crown's evidence had been heard.

When the trial resumes, Heyster will only face a charge of attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

Mrs Heyster is alleged to have murdered Carol Jarvis "by means unknown" at a house in Bathgate.

It is further alleged that along with Mrs Jarvis' husband, Harry, 61, she tried to cover up the crime by hiding the body.

The remains of the mum-of-four were found under the floorboards of the property in September 2009.

And previous evidence has suggested that the Peebles woman had been having an affair with Mr Jarvis.

The trial heard this week how doctors were unable to find any potentially fatal injuries or signs of disease.

Forensic pathologist Dr Ralph BouHaidar told the trial: "Decomposition had made any interpretation of our findings very difficult," .

Two post mortems were carried out but experts, who also examined tissue samples under a microscope, were unable to come up with any answers.

Dr BouHaidar told advocate depute Gary Allan QC, prosecuting: "We are unable to offer a scientifically backed-up opinion as to how she died." The trial has heard how Mrs Jarvis of Balbardie Crescent in Bathgate, suffered from a range of medical problems which sometimes left her bed-ridden.

Swabs taken from the fingernails of Mrs Heyster did contain DNA matching the dead woman's.

But Solicitor advocate Ray McMenamin, defending, argued that the DNA could have been passed through intimate contact with Mr Jarvis.

Forensic scientist Nicola Martin said that the DNA had to have come from a "rich source" - such as a body.

She agreed that it was possible for the defence's argument but claimed direct contact between the two women was more likely.

Jury members were also shown a collection, of what appeared to be, love letters from Harry Jarvis.

One is addressed to "My Princess Marguerita" and said: "O love you very much and my heart will always be yours. Dangerous times but we will get there. Love, kisses and so much more." Another of the notes, which bears the signature Harry, includes the words: "Carol is dying as I write." Detective Sergeant John Philip said the letters had been found after Mr Jarvis and Heyster had been detained and accused of murdering Carol Jarvis.