Murder Case Against Arkansas Sheriff Candidate Aaron Spencer Dismissed

An Arkansas dad accused of killing a man charged with sexually abusing his teenage daughter has scored a massive courtroom victory ... because he's off the hook in his murder case.

A judge on Thursday tossed the second-degree murder charge against Aaron Spencer, the Arkansas father who became a national headline after launching a campaign for county sheriff while awaiting trial.

The ruling stems from a lengthy fight over missing evidence. Spencer's attorneys argued investigators lost key materials during the case ... and the judge ultimately decided misconduct by law enforcement "was so egregious that dismissal of this case is warranted."

As TMZ previously reported, Spencer was accused of fatally shooting Michael Fosler in October 2024, when Fosler was facing dozens of child sex crime charges involving Spencer's teenage daughter. Fosler was out on bond at the time of the shooting.

Spencer pleaded not guilty and maintained he was trying to protect his child.

The case drew national attention not only because of the allegations against Fosler, but because Spencer later announced he was running for sheriff in Lonoke County while still facing the murder charge. Despite the pending case, he won the Republican primary earlier this year.