Aaron Spencer, an Arkansas man facing a second-degree murder charge for fatally shooting a 67-year-old who had been charged with sex offenses against Spencer's then-13-year-old daughter, just won the Republican nomination for sheriff in Lonoke County. He defeated the incumbent. The voters were not confused about what they were doing.
Spencer pulled about 53.5% of the vote in Tuesday's GOP primary, according to unofficial results. Incumbent Sheriff John Staley took 26.5%, while a third candidate, David Bufford, finished with close to 20%. Staley conceded after the returns came in.
In a Facebook statement, Staley acknowledged the outcome.
Congratulations to Mr Spencer. Tonight the voters made their decision in the Republican Primary, and I respect the decision.
Spencer now advances to face Democrat Brian Mitchell Sr. in November in a county described as heavily Republican.
Spencer's pending criminal case stems from the fatal shooting of Michael Fosler, 67, in October 2024. Court records describe the sequence of events: Spencer woke up, found his daughter missing from her bedroom, and searched his truck. He found her in the passenger seat of a vehicle Fosler was driving.
According to the U.S. Sun, Investigators say Spencer forced Fosler's vehicle off the highway. Records show that after an altercation, Spencer called 911 and reported that he had shot Fosler.
The context around Fosler matters. Court documents state that Fosler was out on bond at the time after being charged with multiple sex offenses involving Spencer's then-13-year-old daughter. Court documents further state that Fosler had been ordered not to have contact with the child. He was with her anyway, at night, in his vehicle.
Spencer has pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder charge and remains out on bond. His attorneys do not deny that he shot Fosler. They say he acted within the law to protect his daughter.
Spencer told CNN last year in plain terms what drove his actions.
I did what any good father would do.
The trial was originally scheduled for January but was delayed after the presiding judge was removed from the case. No new trial date has been set. Authorities have not publicly confirmed why the judge was removed or who ordered the removal.
Spencer's criminal case shaped much of his campaign message. He ran on claims that the system failed families and that law enforcement needs reform. In a Facebook post last month, Spencer pledged that if elected, he would create a dedicated team to combat sex crimes against children.
After winning Tuesday's primary, Spencer wrote online with characteristic directness.
Lonoke County sent a clear message last night, and we're just getting started.
He added: "I'm running to restore accountability and integrity to the Sheriff's Office."
There is a legal constraint hanging over the entire campaign. Spencer would not be able to serve if he were convicted in his pending case. That means the trial's outcome will determine not just his freedom but whether Lonoke County's next sheriff is the man its Republican voters just chose.
The specific court handling Spencer's case, the presiding judge's identity, and the bond conditions have not been publicly detailed. The exact charges Fosler faced for the alleged sex offenses against Spencer's daughter have not been specified by name. The nature of the altercation between Spencer and Fosler before the shooting has not been publicly described.
Spencer's defense will need to establish that his use of force was legally justified under the circumstances. Prosecutors will need to prove the elements of second-degree murder, meaning an intentional killing without premeditation, beyond a reasonable doubt. No trial date is currently on the calendar.
A man charged with multiple sex offenses against a 13-year-old girl was out on bond, under a court order not to contact her, and was found with her in his vehicle in the middle of the night. The system that was supposed to keep that child safe had already failed before Aaron Spencer ever got in his truck. Lonoke County's voters clearly decided that the man who acted when institutions did not is exactly the person they want running the Sheriff's Office. Whether the courts agree is the only question left.
