A murder charge has been dropped against Aaron Spencer, a man who managed to win a Republican primary for sheriff while still out on bond and awaiting trial. The decision marks a dramatic turn in a case that has drawn attention far beyond the county where it unfolded, generating interest both nationally and internationally.
Spencer had announced his bid for sheriff while still accused of murder. Despite the charge hanging over him, he drew significant support and sympathy from a community that, according to those following the case, saw him as someone who had been protecting his daughter. That backing soon translated into a striking result at the ballot box.
In a three-person primary that included the incumbent sheriff, Spencer won with 53 percent of the vote. The race generated unusual interest in the county, with turnout rising noticeably. On primary day, voters were said to be focused not on federal or state contests but squarely on the sheriff's race.
The collapse of the murder charge centered on a crucial piece of lost evidence. A dash camera and its memory card, located in Michael Fosler's truck, were not properly logged by the lead investigator in the case. The memory card, which may have contained video of the confrontation, was lost and never correctly inventoried.
The judge took the investigator to task over the handling of that evidence, noting that proper procedures had not been followed. The court concluded that the failures had impaired Aaron Spencer's ability to receive a fair trial, and raised concerns about some of the answers the investigator had given about how the situation was managed. Spencer's trial had been set to begin in January.
The outcome now clears Spencer's path toward office. He will appear on the ballot in November, facing a Democratic opponent in what is described as a heavily Republican county, which gives him a strong chance of becoming the next sheriff. Had the charge gone forward and resulted in a conviction, a felony would have made him ineligible to serve.
The case has also reshaped Spencer's campaign and the local sheriff's office. He has made the way sexual misconduct and sexual abuse cases are handled a central theme, promising changes and an overhaul. Shortly after the murder charge was dismissed, the lead detective assigned to the case was dismissed from the sheriff's office, leaving open questions about how the department will move forward.