LONOKE, Ark. — An Arkansas judge has thrown out murder charges against a sheriff candidate who was accused of fatally shooting his teenage daughter’s alleged sexual abuser last year.
Special Circuit Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. tossed the case against Aaron Spencer on Thursday afternoon, weeks before his second-degree murder trial was set to start. The dismissal came after law enforcement officials lost a dash camera memory card that potentially recorded the fatal shooting.
“The court finds that conduct by law enforcement was so egregious that dismissal of this case is warranted,” Wilson stated in his ruling.
Spencer’s defense team never disputed that their client shot and killed 67-year-old Michael Fosler. At the time of the shooting, Fosler was free on bail following charges involving dozens of sexual crimes against Spencer’s daughter, who was 13 years old.
According to court filings, Spencer discovered his daughter was missing when he woke up that night. He later located the girl sitting in the passenger seat of Fosler’s vehicle. Spencer then forced Fosler’s truck off the roadway, and following a confrontation, contacted 911 to report that he had shot the man.
Prosecutors argued that Spencer had premeditated the killing and should have contacted authorities while chasing Fosler. However, Spencer entered a not guilty plea and argued he was defending his child from a predator.
Defense attorney Erin Cassinelli expressed gratitude for the court’s ruling.
“No member of this family should ever again be forced to walk into a courtroom and relive this horror,” she stated. “This father should have never been charged for protecting his child.”
While The Associated Press generally does not name victims of sexual abuse, Spencer has centered his daughter’s experience with the justice system as a key element of his sheriff campaign.
