Key facts
- Murder charges against sheriff candidate Aaron Spencer were dismissed.
- Spencer was accused of shooting Michael Fosler, who allegedly assaulted his daughter.
- The dismissal was based on law enforcement's mishandling of dash-camera evidence.
- The judge cited the loss of an SD card as impairing Spencer's defense.
- Fosler had prior charges for offenses against Spencer's daughter.
- Spencer won the Republican primary for Lonoke County sheriff.
An Arkansas judge has dismissed the murder charges against Aaron Spencer, an Army veteran and Republican candidate for Lonoke County sheriff. Spencer was accused of shooting 67-year-old Michael Fosler in October 2024, an incident that occurred after Fosler allegedly sexually assaulted Spencer's teenage daughter. Spencer had reportedly discovered Fosler with his daughter and admitted to forcing Fosler's vehicle off the road before shooting him. Special Circuit Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. dismissed the second-degree murder charges, citing egregious conduct by law enforcement, specifically the mishandling and potential loss of dash-camera evidence, including an SD card. The judge ruled that this loss adversely impacted Spencer's ability to defend himself and receive a fair trial. Fosler had previously faced numerous sexual offense charges related to Spencer's daughter and was out on bond at the time of the shooting. Spencer, who had vowed to reform the county's law enforcement, won the Republican primary for sheriff after defeating the incumbent.