A judge has dismissed a murder charge against an Arkansas man, Aaron Spencer, who secured the GOP nomination for sheriff while awaiting trial for the shooting death of his daughter’s alleged abuser.
Case Details
Special Circuit Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. dismissed the case against Spencer, noting that law enforcement lost a crucial dash camera memory card that might have captured the shooting. This decision came just weeks before Spencer’s trial on a second-degree murder charge was set to begin.
In March, Spencer defeated a three-term incumbent sheriff in Lonoke County to win the GOP nomination. With a population of about 76,000, Lonoke County was the location of Spencer’s arrest on the murder charge.
The court finds that conduct by law enforcement was so egregious that dismissal of this case is warranted.
Incident Background
Spencer’s attorneys acknowledged that he shot Michael Fosler, 67, in 2024. Fosler was on bond after being charged with multiple sexual offenses against Spencer’s then-13-year-old daughter.
Court documents reveal that on the night of the shooting, Spencer found his daughter in the passenger seat of Fosler’s vehicle. He forced Fosler’s truck off the road, and after an altercation, called 911 to report the shooting.
Prosecutors claimed Spencer planned the killing and suggested he could have contacted police instead. Spencer, however, pleaded not guilty, asserting his actions were to protect his daughter from Fosler.
Community Support
Spencer expressed gratitude for community support, saying in a statement:
When I couldn’t speak for myself, you spoke for me. I’ll never be able to thank you the way you deserve, but I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to live up to it.
Spencer’s attorney, Erin Cassinelli, praised the court’s decision, affirming that Spencer should never have faced charges for protecting his child.
Evidentiary Issues
The dismissal stemmed from mishandling of potential evidence. Spencer’s attorneys argued the dash camera from Fosler’s truck might have exonerated Spencer. A detective retrieved the camera from the scene, but the settings weren’t preserved and the memory card later went missing.
Supposedly, the detective stored the camera in his personal office instead of logging it into the evidence room. When the camera was sent for forensic examination, the memory card was absent, according to court records.
Judicial Changes
Judge Wilson took over the case after the Arkansas Supreme Court removed Judge Barbara Elmore, who had imposed a gag order violating Spencer’s First Amendment rights.
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