An Arkansas judge has dismissed the murder charges against Aaron Spencer, a local sheriff candidate and Army veteran, who faced allegations of killing a man suspected of sexually assaulting his teenage daughter. Spencer had been charged with second-degree murder for the shooting of Michael Fosler, 67, in Lonoke County in October 2024.
Court records show that Special Circuit Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. dropped the charges against Spencer. Prosecutors initially claimed Spencer found Fosler with his daughter inside Fosler’s pickup truck during the early morning hours of October 8, 2024. Authorities alleged that Spencer forced Fosler’s vehicle off the road and subsequently called 911 to report the shooting incident.
The judge cited issues with law enforcement’s handling of dash-camera and SD card evidence from Spencer’s truck. He stated that dismissal is “an extraordinary and extreme remedy” but justified it due to the “egregious” conduct by law enforcement in this case. The defense argued the SD card, potentially containing crucial footage, had been lost by law enforcement, impacting Spencer’s ability to mount a fair defense.
Fosler, who had been charged with several sexual offenses against Spencer’s daughter, was out on bond at the time of the shooting. Spencer, running for sheriff in Lonoke County, had won the Republican primary after defeating the incumbent. In his campaign, he vowed to reform the county’s law enforcement agency.
Spencer admitted to shooting Fosler but pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case was initially scheduled for trial on June 22. The impact of the dismissal on his candidacy remains unclear. Fox News Digital sought comments from the Lonoke County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office, and Spencer’s defense team.