This undated photo provided by attorney Erin Cassinelli shows Aaron Spencer, a Republican candidate for sheriff in Lonoke County, Arkansas, who won a GOP primary on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, defeating the incumbent sheriff to advance to the general election despite awaiting trial for a murder charge. (Heather Spencer/Erin Cassinelli via AP)
This undated photo provided by attorney Erin Cassinelli shows Aaron Spencer, a Republican candidate for sheriff in Lonoke County, Arkansas, who won a GOP primary on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, defeating the incumbent sheriff to advance to the general election despite awaiting trial for a murder charge. (Heather Spencer/Erin Cassinelli via AP)
FILE - This April 7, 2009 file photo shows the Lonoke County Courthouse in Lonoke, Ark. (Jeff Mitchell/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP, File)
Jeff Mitchell
This undated photo provided by attorney Erin Cassinelli shows Aaron Spencer, a Republican candidate for sheriff in Lonoke County, Arkansas, who won a GOP primary on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, defeating the incumbent sheriff to advance to the general election despite awaiting trial for a murder charge. (Heather Spencer/Erin Cassinelli via AP)
Heather Spencer
This undated photo provided by attorney Erin Cassinelli shows Aaron Spencer, a Republican candidate for sheriff in Lonoke County, Arkansas, who won a GOP primary on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, defeating the incumbent sheriff to advance to the general election despite awaiting trial for a murder charge. (Heather Spencer/Erin Cassinelli via AP)
An Arkansas man accused of killing his teenage daughter's alleged abuser won the Republican nomination for local sheriff while waiting to stand trial for murder in his rural county, where he ran on a message of seeing the failures of law enforcement.
Aaron Spencer defeated Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley in Tuesday’s primary elections, according to unofficial results posted by the Arkansas secretary of state. He would not be able to serve if he is convicted of killing Michael Fosler, 67, who at the time was out on bond after being charged with numerous sexual offenses against Spencer’s then-13-year-old daughter.
Spencer’s attorneys do not deny that he shot and killed Fosler but maintain he acted within the law to protect his child from a predator.
Spencer won more than 53% of the vote with all precincts reporting, according to unofficial results. Staley, whose department arrested Spencer in 2024, conceded the loss.
“Congratulations to Mr. Spencer. Tonight the voters made their decision in the Republican Primary, and I respect the decision,†Staley said in a statement posted on Facebook.
Spencer said in a statement that his message of accountability resonated with voters.
“Tonight, the people of Lonoke County stood up and chose transparency and accountability,†Spencer said. “This wasn’t a campaign about me. It was about every family who called for help and got nothing. That betrayal ends tonight.â€
He is now set to face Democrat Brian Mitchell Sr. in the heavily Republican county in November.
Spencer has pleaded not guilty and is out on bond while awaiting trial, which was originally scheduled to start in January. The trial was delayed after the presiding judge was removed from the case. A new date has not been set.
Court documents show that on the night of the October 2024 shooting, Spencer woke up to find his daughter missing from her bedroom and went searching for her in his truck. He found the girl in the passenger seat of a vehicle Fosler was driving. Spencer eventually forced Fosler’s truck off the highway and, after an altercation, called 911 to report he had shot the man, records show.
Prosecutors argue Spencer had planned to kill Fosler even before that night and that he could have called police while pursuing Fosler.
Spencer's attorney, Erin Cassinelli, wrote in an email to The Associated Press that the election results have no bearing on the facts of the case.
“Aaron Spencer did exactly what the law allows and exactly what any father would do: he protected his daughter and himself from harm,†Cassinelli said. “At some point, those responsible for this prosecution will have to reckon with that.â€
Spencer pledged in a Facebook post last month that if elected he would establish a dedicated team to combat sex crimes against children.
