THE PROSECUTORS: Arkansas father caught in legal nightmare for saving daughter from monster

Aaron Spencer charged with murder after shooting Michael Fosler while rescuing his 13-year-old daughter from alleged kidnapper in Arkansas.

Brett Talley is co-host of the weekly true crime podcasts "The Prosecutors" and "The Prosecutors: Legal Briefs." 

Fosler was no stranger to the Spencers. In July of that year, Fosler allegedly raped Spencer’s daughter, resulting in his indictment for 43 separate counts including sexual assault of a minor, internet stalking of a child, and possession of child pornography. The Lonoke County prosecutors handled the case, with it landing on the desk of Circuit Judge Barbara Elmore. It’s a little unclear who dropped the ball—Lonoke County, Judge Elmore, or some combination of both—but what we know for sure is that this dangerous abuser of children was released from custody on a $5,000 bond, with a no contact order in place to prevent further abuse of Spencer’s daughter. Then Oct. 8 came, and neither the bond nor the no contact order were worth the paper they were printed on.

Spencer’s actions in that moment were nothing short of heroic. He ran Fosler's truck off the road, and firearm in hand, ordered him to release his daughter. Instead, Fosler fought back, and the struggle ended with Spencer emptying his firearm into Fosler. Spencer then rescued his daughter from the truck and called 911.