Aaron Spencer has won the Republican nomination for Lonoke County sheriff in Arkansas, a victory that comes while he remains in a pending murder case and out on bond as he awaits trial. Unofficial results posted by the Arkansas secretary of state show Spencer defeating incumbent Sheriff John Staley in Tuesday’s primary, with all precincts reporting. Spencer’s win sets him up to face Democrat Brian Mitchell Sr. in November in a county that has been described as heavily Republican.
Spencer’s nomination hinges on the broader criminal case against him. He is accused of killing Michael Fosler, 67, whom prosecutors said was out on bond on charges of numerous sexual offenses against Spencer’s then-13-year-old daughter at the time of the killing. Spencer has pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys have said he acted to protect his child from a predator.
In the Republican primary, Spencer ran on a message of accountability for what he and his supporters said were failures by law enforcement, according to the Associated Press report. Spencer ultimately won more than 53% of the vote, and Staley conceded the loss. In a Facebook statement, Staley said, “Congratulations to Mr. Spencer. Tonight the voters made their decision in the Republican Primary, and I respect the decision.”
Spencer said his campaign message resonated with voters. In a statement, he said, “Tonight, the people of Lonoke County stood up and chose transparency and accountability,” adding that it was not about “every family who called for help and got nothing.” He described the election as ending “That betrayal tonight.”
Court records described by the Associated Press outline what prosecutors and defense say happened on the night of the Oct. 2024 shooting. According to those records, 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, then forced Fosler’s truck off the highway. After an altercation, Spencer called 911 and reported 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 attorneys do not deny that he shot and killed Fosler, but they say he did so legally. 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, adding, “Aaron Spencer did exactly what the law allows and exactly what any father would do: he protected his daughter and himself from harm,” and that those prosecuting him “will have to reckon with that.”
The legal timetable around the case has also shifted. Spencer is out on bond while awaiting trial, which was originally scheduled to begin in January, the AP reported. The trial was delayed after the presiding judge was removed from the case, and a new trial date had not been set. If convicted, the AP report said, Spencer would not be able to serve as sheriff.
In the campaign, Spencer also pointed to future changes he said he would make. In a Facebook post last month, he pledged to establish a dedicated team to combat sex crimes against children if elected, according to the Associated Press report.