An Arkansas father was arrested after a confrontation led to the shooting and death of a 67-year-old man, Michael Fosler, in an incident involving the father’s 14-year-old daughter.
According to the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a 911 call about a missing juvenile at 1:12 a.m. on October 8. As they were en route, they learned that Aaron Spencer, the girl’s father, had found his daughter in a vehicle with Fosler.
A confrontation between Spencer and Fosler then occurred, resulting in the shooting. Fosler was pronounced dead at the scene, while Spencer was taken into custody.
Initially, Spencer was charged with Murder in the First Degree, but Sheriff John Stanley later clarified that these charges were preliminary, with prosecutors deciding whether to formally press charges.
Stanley described the situation as a tragedy and expressed his condolences, while emphasizing that official charges had yet to be filed.
In a follow-up video, the sheriff stated he could only share limited information at this stage. Meanwhile, a woman claiming to be Spencer’s wife, Heather, took to social media to share her side of the story, calling her husband’s arrest “outrageous.”
She alleged that Fosler had previously targeted, groomed, and sexually assaulted their daughter, and that they had a no-contact order in place against him. She also claimed they had no knowledge that their daughter had been communicating with Fosler.
Sheriff Stanley confirmed that Fosler had been arrested in July for internet stalking of a child and sexual assault, and was out on bond. He expressed regret that if authorities had found Fosler with the girl that night, his bond would have been revoked, and he would not have been released.
Heather Spencer claimed that her husband had been searching for their daughter when he spotted Fosler driving with the girl in the vehicle.
She said that after a brief chase, which ended in an accident, Spencer was able to rescue their daughter but was attacked by Fosler in the process. Spencer then acted to protect himself and his child, leading to the shooting.
Heather maintained that without her husband’s intervention, their daughter may not have returned home safely. She also criticized the murder charge as “outrageous.”
Sheriff Stanley reiterated that the investigation is ongoing and that the facts will determine whether the shooting was justified or not. He emphasized that his department remains committed to protecting children from predators, adding that the case is still being reviewed by investigators before it is sent to the prosecutor.
