In a tragic and legally complicated case out of central Arkansas, a father is now facing murder charges after discovering an older man with his missing 14-year-old daughter in a vehicle under allegedly illicit circumstances and shooting him. Aaron Spencer, 36, was arrested for the fatal shooting of 67-year-old Michael Fosler, a man who was already awaiting trial for allegedly sexually assaulting the young girl several months ago and was under a no-contact order.
Details of the Case
The fatal confrontation took place Oct. 8, in Lonoke County, Arkansas. Spencer had been searching for his missing daughter when he found her in a vehicle with Fosler. According to the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office, the two men had a confrontation, leading to Spencer shooting Fosler, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Fosler had a history with Spencer’s family. In July, he had been arrested and charged with internet stalking and sexual assault involving the same 14-year-old girl. He was released on bond and was scheduled to face trial in December. The Spencers had secured a no-contact order against him, yet on the night of the shooting, Spencer found Fosler in violation of that order, raising alarm for his daughter’s safety. According to reports from USA Today, Spencer’s wife, Heather, expressed the family’s fear that Fosler had taken their daughter to harm her further, possibly even to kill her.
The Sheriff’s office revealed to the news outlet that deputies were first alerted to the situation after a call about a missing juvenile. While officers were en route, Spencer reportedly found Fosler with his daughter, which led to the deadly confrontation. Lonoke County Sheriff John Staley later said in a video that investigators are still piecing together exactly what transpired.
Heather Spencer took to social media to defend her husband, calling him a “hero” who acted out of necessity to protect their child.
“He was able to retrieve our child alive, but in the process, he was attacked and did what he had to do to protect himself and our minor child,” she wrote on Facebook, as reported by Newsweek. She also expressed frustration with how the case had been handled by local authorities so far, stating, “We had no idea this man was in contact with our child again…We thought Fosler had taken our daughter to kill her.”
The Spencers had a GoFundMe page set up to help pay for legal costs, but that was taken down by the website as per the company’s terms of service that “prohibit fundraisers that raise money for the legal defense of anyone formally charged with ‘an alleged violent crime,'” USA Today reported. Heather Spencer is taking donations via Venmo on her Facebook page and Gun Owners of Arkansas (GO-AR), after speaking with the family and examining the case, have established a legal defense fund to help Aaron Spencer.
The GO-AR site also shares a letter from Heather Spencer with more details of her family’s ordeal.
“By God’s never-failing grace, my husband passed this man driving on our road with our minor child in the vehicle. As soon as the predator knew my husband was behind him, he ran. The chase ended in an accident. Aaron was able to retrieve our child alive, but in the process, he was attacked and did what he had to do to protect himself and our minor child. He is now facing an outrageous murder 1 charge,” Heather Spencer wrote in the letter.
In a statement, Sheriff Staley acknowledged the emotionally charged nature of the case, noting that while it is a tragic situation, it is the prosecutor’s office that will ultimately decide what charges, if any, will be filed.
The Investigation
“This is a tragic situation, and my thoughts and prayers are with all those involved,” Staley said in a press release.
In an interview with USA Today, Staley also said, “”I absolutely do not support predators. “I’m a daddy. I have three daughters. I know she’s (the mother) hurt right now, but there’s absolutely nobody I would put ahead of our children, their children, my children.”
As the investigation continues, Spencer has been released on bail. The charges he faces are preliminary and could change as more information comes to light, Staley stressed. If convicted of first-degree murder, Spencer could face a sentence of up to life in prison .
How investigators determine the details of the events of the shooting played out will serve a big role in the possible outcome of this case. If, in fact, Fosler initiated an attack against the father in response to him trying to get his daughter back or if it can be determined there was indeed a legitimate concern for the girl’s immediate welfare and life, Spencer could have a strong case for self-defense. Arkansas, like many states, also recognizes the right to defend third parties from imminent serious bodily harm or death.
On the other hand, if an understandably irate Spencer, simply pulled Fosler from the car and in anger, shot him, while a jury of 12 fathers would be hard pressed to convict him of murder, the law itself takes a dim view of citizens meting out justice in such measures. Spencer, unless able to work a plea (which would be likely in this case) or pull a not-guilty verdict based on temporary insanity, could be facing legitimate time for this in which case, would such an action be worth it?
It’s a challenging and complicated case from a legal standpoint to say the least.
So, what would you do in this situation? What would any father do?
There’s nothing complicated in this case…. a p.e.r.v is dead and that’s good for the world.
I’d lie through my teeth to get onto the jury and vote not guilty in the first second of deliberations.
Goes without saying that the family should be keeping their traps shut and let the lawyer frame the messaging.
Hopefully, he didn’t say anything except to his lawyer.
Exactly! Better that this trash is gone and society doesn’t have to support and feed him for years!
If I was on the jury, nothing would make me vote to convict.
Given the charge and known circumstances yeah can’t square that circle. Probably would have trouble convicting on a whole lot of other charges but if it really was murder 1 they are out of their damned minds if only with getting a jury on board in this scenario.
He needed killing.
End of discussion.
Another harris/biden voter got killed. He’ll still vote, though.
Was the 14 year old the one doing the contacting or was she a kidnapped wallflower, etc? If this was some sort of perverted love connection verses angry parents more details are needed.
The order of protection would not work in the corpse’s favor.
Debbie, I have to agree with you. While the law is clear on an issue like this, I have dealt with plenty of teens, male and female, that were going on thirty. That said, it is the adult’s responsibility to say no. Self defense? I want to say yes, but I need more information.
so what would you do in this situation?
under advice of counsel I won’t be answering any questions.
Sometimes the “varmint defense” resonates…
What would I do?
Well giving both girl and pervert brochures on safe sex and the responsibilities of being a parent would be a start.
Maybe also see if they would be willing to make a porno movie.
Now before you all start bashing you must remember kiddie diddling has the approval of our now standing President Joe Biden.
And if its permissible by our country’s leaders it should be permissible by all the citizen subjects.
It’s a new America, best get with the plan.
i don’t understand Go Fund Me’s policy. The sheriff said he was not charged with a crime yet.
Worth mentioning the dead guy was a former sheriff in the neighboring county.
And he was dumb enough to mess with a guy that had Freedom tattooed on his arm.
There you go! Sounds amazingly fishy that dad would be charged with anything but “back the blue” & all that BS comes into focus. Did I see blame cast on a minor 14 year old girl?!?🙄😡
At first, I thought that I needed more details in this case to say what I think was/is right-versus-wrong. Upon further consideration, I do not need any more details. A man who is accused of sexually assaulting an underage girl had her in his car. That is de facto kidnapping and all force is justified until the man surrenders.
The only way this gets legally sticky is if the man surrendered and then the father executed him. I doubt that I would convict the father for capital murder, though, even if that was the case.
If I were the father and the man surrendered to me, I can easily imagine that I would have a very hard time just sitting there exchanging pleasantries while waiting for police to arrive. Even if I wanted to off the man, I would refrain from doing so because of the legal jeopardy which, if that were to go awry, would separate me from my child and spouse which is a very bad outcome.
Also important to understand: if the father wanted justice, all he would have to do is wait for the man’s conviction and incarceration–then inform the inmates what the man had done and let the inmates take care of that man.
Something tells me that the daugjter snuck out to hook up with the man. If grown men didn’t want to bang 14 year old poon they wouldn’t have to make laws to prevent it.
P Diddy, Epstein and his long list of accomplices, ex-Sen. Menendez, on and on. It seems to be a fine art of the predator class to con young kids into their clutches.
Rename the town Spencer Arkansas.
That prosecutor should apologize for failing to keep the pervert Fosler in jail when h had the chance, beg Dad’s pardon for the inconvenience, and send him home once and for all.