Aaron Spencer, a 37-year-old Arkansas father and candidate for Lonoke County sheriff, has seen his second-degree murder charge dismissed after a judge ruled that a detective's mishandling of evidence was egregious enough to warrant dismissal.
The case against Spencer, who shot and killed Michael Fosler, a man accused of abusing his 13-year-old daughter, was dismissed by Special Circuit Court Judge Ralph Wilson Jr. on June 4.
According to court documents, the missing evidence may have contained potentially exculpatory information that could not be replaced through other means.
Spencer argued that he shot Fosler to protect his child, and his campaign for sheriff has gained momentum despite the pending criminal case.
He secured approximately 53.5% of the vote in the Republican primary on March 3 and is now expected to face Democratic candidate Brian Mitchell Sr. in the general election later this year.
