Judge Dismisses Murder Charge Against Arkansas Sheriff Candidate Aaron Spencer

Fri Jun 05 2026 13:35:39 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Judge clears Arkansas sheriff hopeful Aaron Spencer of second‑degree murder, citing mishandled evidence.

Special Circuit Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. dismissed the second‑degree murder charge against Aaron Spencer, the GOP nominee for Lonoke County sheriff, after a dash‑camera memory card was lost from the scene of the shooting. Spencer, who shot Michael Fosler in the truck that had been driving his daughter, claims he acted to protect his child. The dismissal comes ahead of the November election where Spencer may face a jury for the murder case. The court cited law‑enforcement misconduct and the loss of potentially exculpatory footage. Spencer vows to focus on public safety and combating child sex crimes after the ruling.

Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. dismissed the second‑degree murder charge against Aaron Spencer, the GOP nominee for Lonoke County sheriff, on Thursday. The ruling precedes the November election in which Spencer’s candidacy will be decided.

Spencer, who was elected as sheriff in March, is awaiting trial for the shooting death of Michael Fosler, the alleged abuser of his teenage daughter. The case had been set to go to a jury, but the judge was persuaded by Spencer’s attorneys to dismiss the charge after a key piece of evidence was lost.

Court documents detail that on the night of the shooting, Spencer woke up to find his daughter missing and later located her in the passenger seat of the truck that Fosler was driving. Spencer forced the truck off the road, engaged in an altercation, and eventually called 911 to report that he had shot the driver.

Prosecutors contended that Spencer had pre‑planned the killing and could have called police while pursuing Fosler. Spencer defended his actions, claiming he was protecting his child from a predator. His attorney, Erin Cassinelli, expressed gratitude for the court’s decision, saying it prevented the family from reliving “horror” and underscored that a father should not be charged for protecting his child.

The dismissal was rooted in evidence mishandling. The dash‑camera memory card from Fosler’s truck was missing when it was collected, and a detective had stored the camera in his personal office rather than in evidence storage. The camera’s battery had drained, losing any further data. The court noted that law‑enforcement conduct had been egregious, warranting dismissal of the case.

Spencer said he is grateful to move past this chapter and will focus on his family, saying, “There’s still work to do in Lonoke County, and I’m more committed to it than ever.” He also pledged to build a safer and stronger county, with a dedicated team to combat child sex crimes.

Lonoke County Prosecuting Attorney Chuck Graham has not provided comment on the decision. Meanwhile, the Arkansas Supreme Court had removed Judge Barbara Elmore, who had applied a gag order violating Spencer’s First Amendment rights.

In his statement, Spencer’s campaign highlighted how the mishandling of evidence prevented a jury from hearing the evidence that would have cleared him. He and his team remain focused on ensuring a safer future for the county.

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