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An Arkansas man awaiting trial for charges that he killed his daughter’s accused sexual abuser has won the Republican nomination for county sheriff, in a race that’s garnered national attention.
Aaron Spencer won more than 53% of the vote in Tuesday’s three-person primary for Lonoke County sheriff. Spencer will face Democratic nominee Brian Mitchell Sr. this fall.
“Tonight, the people of Lonoke County stood up and chose transparency and accountability,” Spencer said in a release from his campaign. “This wasn’t a campaign about me. It was about every family who called for help and got nothing. That betrayal ends tonight.”
Spencer, 37, was charged with second degree murder in the 2024 death of a man accused of sexually abusing Spencer’s teenage daughter. Spencer’s trial was originally scheduled for January but had been postponed. If Spencer is convicted of the felony charge, he’d be unable to serve as sheriff.
Spencer is charged with fatally shooting Michael Fosler, who had been charged with sexually abusing Spencer’s daughter. Spencer fatally shot Fosler after finding his daughter with him in Fosler’s truck, according to court records.
The Arkansas Supreme Court in January removed the judge hearing Spencer’s case and rescinded an order she had issued that would have restricted the public’s access to Spencer’s trial. A new date for Spencer’s trial has not been scheduled yet. It was the second time the court had intervened in the case after the judge had issued a gag order that justices withdrew last year.
Spencer has run on promises to protect children from sexual violence, calling for the creation of an investigative unit dedicated to child sexual abuse, grooming and domestic violence.
“For the price of a lawn mower, you can get out of jail after committing a sexual crime against a child. I think that’s absolutely ridiculous,” Spencer told Little Rock television station KATV, a clip that he’s promoted on his campaign Facebook page.
Spencer was running against incumbent Sheriff John Staley and David Bufford for the Republican nomination.
The race had drawn more interest from voters in the rural central Arkansas community than other statewide and federal races on the ballot in Tuesday’s primary.
Brett Collins of Austin said he worked for the sheriff’s office for most of Staley’s 12 years at the helm and left due to his dislike of Staley’s leadership.
“I like Spencer’s odds,” Collins said after voting at the Cabot Public Library.
Lisa McClure of Cabot said she voted for Spencer because longtime incumbents tend to “get complacent in their positions and need to be replaced over time.”
Reporter Tess Vrbin contributed to this report
