Murder accused David Campbell has been granted bail following a second appearance in court.
The 75-year-old former head gamekeeper is accused of killing retired groundsman Brian Low as he walked his dog along a country lane near Aberfeldy in February.
Campbell made no plea when he returned to the dock during a private appearance at Perth Sheriff Court on Tuesday.
He first appeared on petition at Dundee last week, following his arrest on Friday, May 24.
Campbell was granted bail after the full committal hearing, following a successful application by his solicitor David Holmes.
However, the decision by Sheriff Clair McLachlan is now subject to an appeal by the crown.
Campbell will stay remanded until the appeal is determined.
Allegation of murder
Campbell, of Crieff Road, Aberfeldy, is accused of murdering Mr Low by shooting him in the head and body with a shotgun.
Prosecutors say it happened on a place called Leafy Lane, near the Pitillie track, on February 16.
It is alleged that Campbell killed Mr Low, 65, having previously shown ill-will and malice towards him.
Campbell is further accused of attempting to defeat the ends of justice between February 16 and May 24 by hiding the alleged murder weapon.
Police probe
Mr Low’s body was discovered on farm track in Pitilie on February 17, the day after he was allegedly murdered.
His death was originally thought to have been related to a medical matter.
But a post mortem on February 23 revealed he had been fatally shot.
A wide-ranging police investigation has seen officers visit 500 homes and trawl through 2,400 hours of CCTV footage.
There was increased activity following Campbell’s arrest last month, with teams of officers spotted at three sites in the Aberfeldy area.
Mr Low died three days short of his 66th birthday.
He retired last year after working as a groundsman on the 4,000-acre Edradynate Estate for more than two decades.
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