NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
An Arkansas judge has dismissed murder charges against a local sheriff and an Army veteran accused of shooting a man accused of sexually abusing his teenage daughter.
Aaron Spencer was initially charged with second-degree murder in the October 2024 shooting death of Michael Fosler, 67, in Lonoke County.
According to court records obtained by Fox News Digital, Special District Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. dismissed the charges against Spencer on Thursday.
Prosecutors previously alleged that Spencer found Fosler alone with her young daughter inside Fosler’s truck on the night of October 8, 2024. Authorities say Spencer allegedly forced the vehicle off the road before calling 911 to report that she had shot a 67-year-old man.
GOT ADVICE?
Aaron Spencer has announced that he will represent an officer in Arkansas one year after he was arrested for allegedly shooting the rapist of his teenage daughter. (Aaron Spencer/Facebook)
The judge cited law enforcement’s mishandling of the dash cam and SD card evidence from Spencer’s truck, adding that dismissal is an “unusual and extreme remedy” in any criminal case.
“However, based on the totality of the circumstances and the unique, specific, and specific facts of this case, the Court finds that law enforcement’s conduct was so egregious that dismissal of this case is warranted,” the judge wrote.
FOLLOW US ON X
Aaron Spencer is accused of killing a man who allegedly ate his daughter in Lonoke County, Arkansas. (Lonoke County Detention Center)
Spencer’s defense team argued that law enforcement had lost an SD card that may have contained images of the altercation, and provided no documentation regarding when the item went missing or details related to its disappearance.
STORE OWNER HELD OUT ON BOND FOR 3 YEARS FREED IN KILLING OF YOUTH SHOT
The judge ruled that “the loss or destruction of the dash cam’s SD memory card adversely affected the Defendant’s ability to defend himself pursuant to these defenses, as well as his right to a fair trial,” according to court documents.
GET NEWS VIA EMAIL
Sheriff John Staley said Aaron Spencer has not been formally charged and the District Attorney’s Office will decide what charges to file in Lonoke. (Google Maps)
Fosler had previously been charged with “multiple sexual offenses” against Spencer’s teenage daughter and was in custody at the time of the shooting, court records said.
In February, Spencer emerged as the winner of the Republican primary for Lonoke County sheriff after defeating the incumbent, who vowed to reform the county’s law enforcement agency.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE NEWS
“In my fight for justice, I have seen firsthand the failures of law enforcement and our circuit court,” Spencer said in a previous campaign video. “And I refuse to wait while others face these same problems.”
While Spencer admitted to shooting Fosler, he pleaded not guilty to murder. The case will be heard on June 22.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
Details about how the dismissal may affect his bid for sheriff have not been released.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Lonoke County Prosecutor’s Office, the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office and Spencer’s defense team for comment.
