Aaron Spencer, an Army veteran and sheriff candidate, has had his murder charge dismissed after a judge ruled that law enforcement mishandled key evidence in the case. Spencer was accused of fatally shooting 67-year-old Michael Fosler in October 2024 after allegedly finding him with his teenage daughter.
The judge determined that police lost crucial dash-camera evidence, which impaired Spencer’s right to a fair trial, leading to the rare dismissal of the case. Court records also showed Fosler had previously faced sexual offense charges involving Spencer’s daughter and was out on bond at the time of the shooting.
Spencer admitted to shooting Fosler but pleaded not guilty to murder. His attorney welcomed the ruling, saying he should never have been charged for protecting his child.