A father in Arkansas has launched a campaign to become sheriff while awaiting trial for the murder of a man accused of abusing his teenage daughter. 

Aaron Spencer, 37, is running to become sheriff of Lonoke County, Arkansas, as he awaits trial for the murder of Michael Fosler, 67. 

Fosler was facing over 40 sexual offences against Spencer’s daughter, including the internet stalking of a child, two counts of sexual assault and sexual indecency, and possession of child pornography.  

He had been released on bond when Spencer discovered his missing daughter, who was 13 at the time, in Fosler’s truck in October of last year, according to court documents. 

Spencer is accused of shooting Fosler, who died at the scene, and called 911, according to the filing. 

He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder, according to court documents.

Now, as Spencer prepares for trial after being released on bond, he has thrown his hat in to become sheriff. 

‘It’s time to bring trust, accountability, and safety back to our community. Join us on this journey to build a Sheriff’s Office you can believe in,’ he wrote on Facebook. 

In a video, the father and veteran introduced himself and said: ‘Many of you know my story. I’m the father who acted to protect his daughter when the system failed.’

‘I refuse to stand by while others face these same failures,’ he continued. 

‘This campaign isn’t about me. It’s about every parent, every neighbor, every family who deserves to feel safe in their homes and safe in their community It’s about restoring trust where neighbors know law enforcement is on their side and families know that they will not be left alone in a moment of need.’

In the comments under the video, Spencer’s son wrote that he was ‘proud to call this man my father.’

Spencer’s wife, Heather, praised her husband’s ‘courageous actions’ and wrote on Facebook: ‘I have no doubt that if it weren’t for God and my husband, I would have never seen my child again.’

‘The relief of my child being alive was quickly followed by terror as the prosecutor set preliminary charges at Murder 1 with $150K bond,’ she continued. 

According to Heather, in the spring of 2024, their teenage daughter confided in a family member that she had been sexually assaulted. 

‘It took very little exposure for an unknown man who was old enough to be my father to start pursuing my child. This monster was an opportunist and started grooming my then 13-year-old via text,’ she wrote. 

Heather said that their family waited for ‘the law’ to ‘run its course,’ adding: ‘We trusted that this man would be served justice under the law.’

‘While we were happy that he was quickly arrested we were not privy to the fact that he was released on a low bond with zero supervision,’ she continued. 

‘Even though we anticipated his release, we thought the pending felony charges and a no contact order would be enough to keep him away from our child. We were wrong.’

On October 8, the Spencer family were awakened by their daughter’s dog in the middle of the night, according to court documents. 

Spencer found his daughter was missing, and a search began.

‘[Spencer] left in his truck to search for her. Spencer located Fosler’s truck — with his daughter inside — and he forced Fosler’s truck off the highway. After an altercation, Spencer called 911 to report that he had shot Fosler. Fosler died at the scene,’ according to the filing. 

‘At arraignment, they decided to charge my husband with murder 2 [second-degree murder] with a gun enhancement charge,’ Heather wrote. 

‘Then immediately, the same judge who released this monster out into the community to continue his reign of terror on our child, placed us and seemingly the whole world under an unconstitutional gag order.’

Heather added: ‘My husband didn’t ask to be put in a position to save our child. We didn’t ask for any of this. An evil man with a long history of predatory behavior targeted our child and was not scared of the consequences.

‘My husband was forced to save his child from someone who should have never been on the streets to begin with.’ 

Spencer is set to appear in court again on December 16 for a pre-trial date, and his trial is scheduled to begin on January 26, 2026. 

A fundraising page to support Spencer’s legal battle and therapy fees for their daughter garnered more than $79,000 as of Monday night.

According to the campaign created by Heather’s sister, the money raised is intended to ‘help the Spencer family feel secure in some way during a very challenging, uncertain time.’

As for Spencer’s campaign for sheriff, comments on his video show he is being supported. 

‘I will stand with you as a Veteran and a father! Bring Veterans and Fathers together, We need to protect our babies,’ one user wrote. 

‘I was working dispatch when this call came through. My officer went to assist. (Carlisle). You definitely got our votes,’ another said. 

‘I live in SC, but you’ve got my vote!! Thank you sir for your service to our great country. It’s people like you that will make a difference,’ another said. 

‘Will be praying for your daughter that she may heal from this trauma and you, against our “justice” system. I think you served the justice that the justice department wouldn’t.’ 

Current Lonoke Sheriff John Staley told the Daily Mail in a statement: ‘I will be seeking reelection to continue being your Lonoke County Sheriff. Since 2013, I have served as Sheriff of Lonoke County with a clear mission — to protect our citizens and hold those who break the law accountable. 

‘From day one, our focus has been on three major threats to our communities: drug traffickers, sexual predators, and thieves. We’ve made significant progress, and we will continue to work tirelessly to keep Lonoke County safe and ensure justice is served fairly and consistently for everyone. My motto has been and will continue to be Do what’s right, not what’s easy. Doing what’s right isn’t always popular.’