Charges Dismissed for Arkansas Sheriff Candidate in Fatal Shooting Case

An Arkansas judge has dropped murder charges against Aaron Spencer, a local sheriff’s candidate and Army veteran, who was accused of fatally shooting a man suspected of sexually assaulting his teenage daughter.

Spencer faced second-degree murder charges following the shooting of 67-year-old Michael Fossler in October 2024, in Lonoke County.

On Thursday, Special Circuit Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. dismissed the case against Spencer, as indicated by court records.

Prosecutors had claimed that Spencer discovered Fossler with his daughter late at night on October 8, 2024, in Fossler’s pickup truck. Allegedly, Spencer forced the truck off the road before calling 911 to report the shooting.

The judge addressed issues with law enforcement’s handling of dashcam and SD card evidence from Spencer’s vehicle, stating that dismissing a case is a rare and extreme measure. However, he argued that in this instance, the law enforcement’s conduct was so serious that it justified the dismissal.

The judge wrote, “Based on the totality of the circumstances and the unique and specific facts and circumstances of this case, the court finds that the conduct of law enforcement was so egregious that dismissal of this case is warranted.”

Spencer’s legal team contended that law enforcement lost an SD card that possibly contained footage of the incident, and they criticized the lack of documentation regarding its disappearance.

In his ruling, the judge stated that the missing dashcam memory card impaired Spencer’s ability to mount a proper defense, infringing on his right to a fair trial.

At the time of the shooting, court records revealed that Fossler was facing “numerous sexual offenses” charges related to Spencer’s daughter and was out on bond.

Earlier this year, Spencer won the Republican primary for Lonoke County Sheriff, defeating the incumbent and promising changes to the local law enforcement agency.

In a previous campaign video, Spencer shared his experience with law enforcement’s shortcomings, expressing his reluctance to turn a blind eye to injustice.

While he admitted to shooting Fossler, Spencer pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, and the trial was scheduled to begin on June 22.

It remains unclear how the dismissal of charges will impact his sheriff campaign, as inquiries have been made to relevant authorities and Spencer’s legal counsel for comments.