Father Who Killed Man, 67, Alone in Car with Daughter, 14, Running for Sheriff Because 'System Failed'

Aaron Spencer, 37, stands accused of second-degree murder for the October 2024 death of Michael Fosler, 67, in Lonoke County after he allegedly found the man alone in his vehicle with his daughter, then 14 years old. The family had previously claimed that Fosler "targeted, groomed and ultimately raped" the teen.' Spencer's case remains ongoing.

On Friday, Spencer released a video and Facebook page officially announcing his candidacy for Lonoke County Sheriff. In his minute long plea, Spencer introduced himself to voters, saying, "Many of you know my story. I'm the father who acted to protect his daughter when the system failed."

He went on to detail that he is a father, a combat veteran, a contractor, and a farmer, before saying that he's seen firsthand the failures in local law enforcement and the courts. He added, "I refuse to stand by while others face these same failures." Spencer insisted his campaign is not about him, but about "every parent, every neighbor, every family who deserves to feel safe in their homes and safe in their community."

"It's about restoring trust where neighbors know law enforcement is on their side and families know that they will not be left alone in a moment of need," he said. His video has been viewed nearly 300,000 times as of this writing. Lonoke County has a population of approximately 75,000, according to the latest census data.

According to the Lonoke County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a 911 call about a missing juvenile around 1:12am on October 8, 2024. While they were en route to the scene, they learned that the 14-year-old girl's father, Spencer, "had located the juvenile in a vehicle with Michael Fosler."

"A confrontation between the two adult males ensued, which resulted in a shooting," said the sheriff. "Deputies immediately initiated an investigation. Michael Fosler was pronounced dead at the scene, and Aaron Spencer was taken into custody."

Sheriff John Stanley confirmed to USA Today at the time that Fosler was arrested in July 2024 and booked for internet stalking of a child and sexual assault, and was released on a $50,000 bond.

"This guy that preyed upon their daughter was released on bond, and had we stopped him that night and got him with her, that bond would have been revoked," Stanley also told the outlet. "He would have never got out of jail. None of the bond companies would have let him out. We wouldn't let him out."

As for the arrest of Spencer, Stanley explained, "I absolutely do not support predators, [but] when get on scene and there's a homicide, it means one person took the life of another. It's either justified or not justified. That's what the fact finding, that's what the investigation is going to find out."

"All my deputies and investigators knew at that time is there's a deceased man, a 14-year-old that was in the truck with him, and a dad saying 'Hey, I stopped him for this,'" he added.

The Kansas City Star reports that it was Spencer himself who called 911 after his alleged fatal encounter, reportedly telling the dispatcher that Fosler was dead and "he had no choice," according to court documents.

The affidavit states that when Spencer found Fosler's vehicle on his road with his daughter inside, he rammed it from behind, forcing it off the road and into a ditch. He allegedly said that he confronted the other man, who he claimed charged him with an object in his hand, prompting Spencer to open fire.

In a since-unpublished GiveSendGo campaign, per Law&Crime, Spencer's wife Heather allegedly called him a "hero" and called his arrest "outrageous." His lawyers said much the same in a statement in November, per the Star, emphasizing that Spencer "is a decorated war hero who protected his country and a loving father whose heroic actions protected his family."

The statement said that the attorneys were "outraged" by the charge brought against Spencer, calling Fosler a "predator."

Heather reportedly wrote that months before the fatal encounter with her husband, their then 13-year-old daughter was "targeted, groomed and ultimately raped by the boyfriend of a family friend" after he got her phone number -- with that man allegedly identified as Fosler.

She further claimed in a Facebook post, as reported by the New York Post at the time, that the family had established a legal "no contact order" against Fosler, as the family was worried that after allegedly stalking and raping her over the summer of 2024, they were worried he might come back and kill her if given the chance.

According to Heather, neither she nor her husband were aware that Fosler had defied the court order and made contact with their daughter again, per the Post. She said that the 911 call was made after they discovered her missing and that her husband had gone out "blindly searching for our child," per Law&Crime.

She said that Spencer "did what he had to do to protect himself and our minor child," calling the murder charge "outrageous." Amid public outrage, Sheriff Staley released a video to his department's Facebook page two days after the arrest saying that all cited charges were preliminary, and it would be up to the Lonoke County Prosecuting Attorney's Office to determine if Spencer would face any formal charges.

According to court files reviewed by THV11, Spencer is facing second-degree murder charges. The station also notes that at the time of his death, Fosler was facing more than 40 child sex crime charges involving Spencer's daughter, including two counts of alleged internet stalking of a child, two counts of 4th-degree sexual assault, and two counts of sexual indecency with a child. There were an additional 36 counts of possessing child sex abuse materials.

Spencer's next court appearance is December 17, for a pre-trial hearing, while his jury trial is set to begin on January 26, 2026, according to the outlet. It is not clear if he has filed the appropriate paperwork to run for office.

While Stanley declined to comment on Spencer's case to multiple news outlets, he did state that he will be seeking reelection.

"Since 2013, I have served as Sheriff of Lonoke County with a clear mission — to protect our citizens and hold those who break the law accountable," he wrote in an email to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. "My motto has been and will continue to be Do what’s right, not what’s easy. Doing what’s right isn’t always popular."

If you believe you or someone else is the victim of child sexual exploitation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children offers 24/7 support for those in need at  1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678), or at report.cybertip.org. You can also contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.