An Arkansas judge has dismissed a second-degree murder charge against Aaron Spencer, an Army veteran and Republican nominee for Lonoke County sheriff, in a high-profile case involving the fatal shooting of a man accused of sexually abusing Spencer’s teenage daughter.
Special Circuit Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. dismissed the case Thursday, citing serious law enforcement mishandling of evidence. The ruling came just weeks before Spencer was scheduled to stand trial in the 2024 shooting death of 67-year-old Michael Fosler.
Fosler had been out on bond at the time after being charged with multiple sexual offenses involving Spencer’s daughter, who was 13 at the time of the incident, according to Associated Press reporting. Spencer admitted he shot Fosler but pleaded not guilty, arguing that he acted to protect his child.
The shooting occurred in October 2024 after Spencer reportedly woke up in the middle of the night and discovered his daughter was missing. Court records said he later found her in the passenger seat of a vehicle driven by Fosler. Spencer forced the vehicle off the road, and after an altercation, called 911 to report that he had shot Fosler.
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Prosecutors argued that Spencer had other options and claimed the shooting was not legally justified. They said he could have contacted law enforcement while pursuing Fosler. Spencer’s defense team argued that he acted under extreme circumstances to protect his daughter from a man already accused of abusing her.
The case turned on missing evidence from a dash camera recovered from Fosler’s vehicle. Spencer’s attorneys argued that the dash camera’s internal memory card may have contained video or audio from the incident that could have helped his defense.
According to CBS News and AP, a detective with the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office removed the dash camera from the vehicle but did not immediately log it into evidence. The device was reportedly stored in the detective’s personal office rather than the evidence room, and the memory card was later missing when the camera was sent for forensic examination.
Judge Wilson ruled that the loss or destruction of the memory card impaired Spencer’s ability to defend himself and violated his right to a fair trial. In his order, he described dismissal as an “extraordinary and extreme remedy” but said law enforcement’s conduct was so egregious that dismissing the case was warranted.
Local reporting from The England Democrat said the court found the state violated Spencer’s due process rights by losing material evidence and that law enforcement acted in bad faith by failing to preserve it. The order also said the handling of the evidence gave the appearance of a coverup.
The ruling is a major legal victory for Spencer, whose case has drawn national attention because of the circumstances surrounding Fosler’s prior charges and Spencer’s decision to run for sheriff while under indictment.
In March, Spencer won the Republican primary for Lonoke County sheriff, defeating the incumbent sheriff whose office had arrested him. He has campaigned on reforming local law enforcement and creating stronger protections against child sex crimes. AP reported that Spencer received more than 53% of the vote in the GOP primary and is now expected to face Democrat Brian Mitchell Sr. in the general election.
After the dismissal, Spencer thanked supporters and said the community’s support had carried his family through the ordeal. His attorney, Erin Cassinelli, praised the ruling and said the case should never have been brought against a father who was protecting his child.
The prosecutor’s next steps were not immediately clear. Lonoke County Prosecuting Attorney Chuck Graham told local media he was reviewing the judge’s ruling and would consult with staff before deciding how to respond. It is not yet clear whether prosecutors will attempt an appeal or take any further legal action.
The case has also raised broader questions about law enforcement accountability. Spencer has argued that his experience showed failures in the county’s justice system, while prosecutors had maintained that the fatal shooting still needed to be judged under criminal law.
The dismissal does not mean a jury found Spencer innocent. Instead, the judge ruled that the state’s handling of key evidence prevented a fair trial. That distinction may remain important as the case continues to shape Spencer’s sheriff campaign.
For voters in Lonoke County, the legal development could change the political landscape. A conviction would have likely barred Spencer from serving in public office, but with the murder charge dismissed, his path to the general election appears less legally complicated.
Still, the case is likely to remain central to the campaign. Supporters view Spencer as a father who acted when the system failed his daughter. Critics may continue to argue that the justice system should have been allowed to decide whether the shooting was legally justified.
The judge’s ruling ensures that, at least for now, Spencer will not face trial later this month. Instead, the focus shifts to whether prosecutors challenge the dismissal and how the decision affects his bid to become sheriff.
Why It Matters
The ruling matters because it ends, at least temporarily, a murder case that had become both a criminal proceeding and a local political flashpoint. Spencer was accused of killing a man who had already been charged with sexually abusing his daughter, making the case emotionally charged from the start.
It also matters because the judge’s decision centered on law enforcement’s handling of evidence. The missing dash-camera memory card raised serious due process concerns and could fuel Spencer’s campaign message that local law enforcement needs reform.
What Comes Next
Prosecutors may review whether they have grounds to challenge the dismissal. If they do not, Spencer’s criminal case could be over unless new legal action is filed.
Spencer is expected to continue his campaign for Lonoke County sheriff. The dismissal may strengthen his position politically, but the shooting and the evidence controversy are likely to remain major issues through the general election.
TMZ reported that the murder case against Arkansas sheriff candidate Aaron Spencer was dismissed after a judge cited evidence-handling issues.
Murder Case Against Arkansas Sheriff Candidate Aaron Spencer Dismissed https://t.co/lZZayiD6II
— TMZ (@TMZ) June 5, 2026
