Aaron Spencer, A 37 year old Arkansas The father and Lonoke County Sheriff candidate no longer faces a second-degree murder charge after a judge dismissed the case on Thursday, June 4.
Special Circuit Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. dismissed the case after discovering that a Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office detective lost a dashcam memory card that might have captured the shooting.
According to court documents cited by People, the missing evidence may contain potentially exculpatory information that cannot be replaced by other means.
5 key things you need to know about Aaron Spencer
1. Spencer is accused of killing a man accused of abusing his daughter. Spencer is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 67-year-old Michael Fosler.
Fosler allegedly sexually molested Spencer’s 13-year-old daughter between June and July 2024. In September of that year, he was accused of making multiple sexual accusations against Spencer’s daughter.
Fosler was shot and killed on October 8, 2024, and is now out on bail.
2. Spencer argued that he shot Fosler to protect his children. Spencer has pleaded not guilty and insists his actions were motivated by a desire to protect his daughter, according to court records cited by People. He reportedly discovered his daughter was missing the night of the shooting and later discovered she was in a vehicle driven by Forsler.
Court documents say Spencer forced Forsler’s vehicle off the highway. After Forsler got out of the car, Spencer shot him. He then got into his car with his daughter, reloaded his gun and called 911 to inform dispatchers that he had shot Fosler.
3. Spencer’s murder case was dismissed due to lack of evidence. In the latest development, Judge Wilson dismissed the murder charge, describing the remedy as “extraordinary and extreme”.
In April 2026, it was discovered that a detective with the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office misplaced video evidence that might have captured the shooting.
Defense attorneys argued that law enforcement failed to properly record and preserve evidence. They argued the missing evidence was consistent with a “malice” argument.
Wilson said that despite the “extreme” remedy, “given the totality of the circumstances of this case and the unique, specific, and specific facts and circumstances, the court finds that law enforcement acted so egregiously that dismissal of this case is warranted.”
4. Spencer is running for Lonoke County Sheriff. Months before the case was dismissed, Spencer launched a campaign for Lonoke County Sheriff, portraying himself as someone who had experienced first-hand failures in the justice system.
In announcing his candidacy, he said he would take action to protect his daughter when “the system fails” and pledged to address shortcomings in law enforcement and the courts.
“I am a father who takes action to protect his daughter when the system fails,” Spencer said. “Through my own fight for justice, I have seen firsthand the failures of law enforcement and circuit courts. I refuse to stand idly by while others face the same failures.”
5. Spencer wins the Republican primary in March 2026. Despite the pending criminal case against Spencer, his campaign remains strong. According to reports cited by People magazine, he received approximately 53.5% of the vote in the Republican primary on March 3. He is expected to face Democratic candidate Brian Mitchell Sr. in the general election later this year.
