An Arkansas father accused of killing his daughter’s alleged abuser is running for sheriff while awaiting his murder trial, saying he has seen the failures of law enforcement in his rural county.

Aaron Spencer, an Army veteran and farmer, announced his candidacy this month in Lonoke County, a year after authorities say he shot and killed a man who had been out on bond after being charged with numerous sexual offences against his underage daughter.

Spencer has pleaded not guilty and is out on bond while awaiting a trial set for early next year. His attorneys do not deny that their client shot and killed Michael Fosler, 67, but maintain he acted within the law to protect his child from a predator.

The primary election in Arkansas is next March, with the general election in November 2026.

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