A man accused of shooting dead his daughter’s alleged rapist is now running for sheriff, in a bizarre and truly unique set of events.
In July of 2024, Aaron Spencer and his wife Heather were reportedly made aware that their then-13-year-old daughter had been sexually assaulted multiple times by an individual she had met at a family friend’s house.
The alleged abuser was 67-year-old Michael Fosler, said to have been messaging the Spencers’ daughter at the time. Fosler was ultimately arrested by police and hit with 43 charges, including internet stalking and pandering or possessing child pornography. As per CNN, however, he was then released on a $50,000 bond.
Despite a no contact order being in place, Fosler allegedly picked up the 13-year-old from the Spencer family home in the middle of the night and drove away.
Heather Spencer recalled how the family panicked when they awoke and realized she was missing.
“In that moment we realized that she may have been taken, but it’s the middle of the night and everything is happening in seconds and every second counts,” Heather wrote on Facebook.
“I tell 911 that this man may be involved and as I’m speaking, I’m realizing that if he does have her, I’ll probably never see her again.”
Dad Aaron, a farmer, general contractor, and Army veteran, leapt into his truck and began scouring the local roads in a bid to find his daughter.
He later told police that when he saw Fosler’s truck on the highway, he rammed it off the road and reportedly fired at him before calling 911. Reports claim that Aaron, 37, informed the dispatcher that the ‘man who kidnapped’ his daughter was ‘dead on the side of the road’.
After being charged with second-degree murder, Aaron pled not guilty, but has admitted to shooting Fosler.
In a dramatic twist, the father of two is now running to become Lonoke County Sheriff, and will ironically face off against the current sheriff who oversaw his arrest.
“Through my own fight for justice, I have seen firsthand the failures in law enforcement and in our circuit court,” Aaron said in a video on Facebook. “And I refuse to stand by while others face these same failures.”
“This campaign isn’t about me. It’s about every parent, every neighbor, every family who deserves to feel safe in their homes and safe in the community.
“It’s 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.”
Aaron’s trial is penned to start January 26, 2026, around six weeks before he would face a March 3 primary in his campaign to become sheriff.
Spencer’s attorney, Erin Cassinelli, told CNN that she wasn’t concerned about Aaron’s bid for the sheriff’s job negatively affecting his trial.
“The community is entitled to consider Aaron’s choices and the choices of its presently elected officials as it pertains to everything that has happened to Aaron’s family,” she said.
“He and his family are just like all of the other families living in Lonoke County who want public officials they can trust, who keep them safe, and who are accountable for their actions or inactions.”
What do you make of Aaron Spencer’s case? Let us know in the comments.
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