Judge Dismisses Aaron Spencer Murder Case Over Missing Evidence

A judge dismissed the second-degree murder case against aaron spencer after missing dash-camera evidence undermined his defense in the October 2024 shooting case. The ruling removes a trial that had been set to start June 22 and leaves Spencer’s sheriff race moving ahead without the murder charge hanging over it.

Ralph Wilson Ruling

Judge Ralph Wilson wrote that "the loss or destruction of the internal SD memory card of the dash camera has adversely impaired the Defendant's ability to defend himself pursuant to these defenses, and thus his right to a fair trial." The dismissal centered on how law enforcement handled the card, which the defense said could have recorded the altercation that led to the shooting.

Spencer had been charged with second-degree murder in the October 2024 fatal shooting of 67-year-old Michael Fosler. Prosecutors alleged that Spencer confronted Fosler after finding him with his teenage daughter. Spencer pleaded not guilty and said he acted to protect his child.

Missing Dash Card

The defense said the camera’s SD card went missing without clear documentation showing when it disappeared, where it disappeared, who last had it, or what efforts were made to locate it. The motion also said the presence of the camera and the disappearance of the SD card were not disclosed to the defense for months. Wilson said the conduct by law enforcement was so egregious that dismissal was warranted.

The case had already been delayed multiple times during pretrial proceedings, including disputes over evidence and court rulings. Spencer’s attorneys had argued the shooting was justified under Arkansas law as self-defense and defense of others, and court records and prior reporting show that Fosler had been facing multiple sexual offense charges involving Spencer’s then-13-year-old daughter and was out on bond at the time.

Lonoke County Sheriff Race

Spencer won the Republican nomination for Lonoke County sheriff while still facing the murder charge. The dismissal clears the criminal case for now, but the court records say officials had not yet released full details on the ruling or whether any conditions were attached to it.

For voters, the immediate change is simple: the murder charge is gone before the general election, and the case that had been set for June 22 will not go forward as planned. What happens next in the sheriff race now turns on how the ruling is reflected in the campaign and any further court action tied to the dismissal.