A father charged with murder after allegedly killing a man accused of sexually abusing his teenage daughter has captured the Republican nomination for sheriff in his Arkansas county while his criminal case remains pending.
Aaron Spencer secured victory over incumbent Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley in Tuesday’s Republican primary, garnering more than 53% of votes across all precincts, based on preliminary tallies from the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office.
In a Facebook statement, Staley acknowledged his defeat and offered congratulations to Spencer, stating: “Tonight the voters made their decision in the Republican Primary, and I respect the decision.” The same department that Staley leads had taken Spencer into custody in 2024.
Spencer will now compete against Democratic candidate Brian Mitchell Sr. in November’s general election within the predominantly Republican county. However, a conviction in the murder case would prevent him from taking office if elected. Spencer faces charges for the death of Michael Fosler, 67, who had been released on bail following accusations of multiple sexual crimes against Spencer’s then-13-year-old daughter. While Spencer’s legal team acknowledges he fired the fatal shots, they argue his actions were legally justified as protection of his child from a predator.
Neither Spencer’s campaign representatives nor his legal counsel provided responses to requests for comment on Wednesday.
Currently released on bail, Spencer awaits a murder trial that was initially set for January. The proceedings were postponed following the removal of the original judge, and court officials have yet to announce a new trial date. Spencer has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.
According to court filings, the fatal shooting occurred in October 2024 when Spencer discovered his daughter was not in her bedroom during the night. While searching for her in his vehicle, he located the girl sitting in the passenger seat of Fosler’s truck. Spencer then forced Fosler’s vehicle off the roadway, and following a confrontation, contacted emergency services to report the shooting, court records indicate.
In a social media post from last month, Spencer committed to creating a specialized unit focused on investigating sexual crimes against minors if voters elected him to office.
