True Crime Garage – Aaron Spencer ////// 899

Release Date: January 21, 2026
Hosts: Nic & The Captain

Episode Overview

This episode of True Crime Garage delves into the controversial and highly charged case of Aaron Spencer, a decorated Army veteran and current candidate for Sheriff in Lonoke County, Arkansas, who is facing second-degree murder charges. Spencer shot and killed Michael Fossler, a 67-year-old man accused of raping and kidnapping his 13-year-old daughter. The hosts, Nic and the Captain, take listeners through the events leading up to the shooting, the legal aftermath, and the wider implications of the case—both for justice and for community safety. The episode is a blend of factual breakdown, emotional reflection, and a broader discussion about self-defense, legal gray areas, and parental rights.

Key Discussion Points and Timeline

1. Setting & Context

[05:55]

• The case occurs in Lonoke County, Arkansas—described as rural and a "dry county."
• Spotlight on the 2026 sheriff's race featuring three Republican candidates: the incumbent John Staley, David Bufford, and Aaron Spencer.
• The twist: Aaron Spencer is running for sheriff while awaiting trial for second-degree murder after a fatal shooting.

2. Introduction to Aaron Spencer and Family

[10:47]

• Aaron Spencer: 37, combat veteran (82nd Airborne), contractor, farmer, husband, and father.
• Married to Heather for 20 years; two children, youngest is the crime victim.
• The family is described as grounded in traditional values: faith, hard work, and community.

3. Initial Accusations – The Grooming & Assault

[13:54]

• April 2024: Michael Fossler (67) meets the Spencer’s daughter via a family friend, begins grooming her.
• July 2024: The daughter (then 13) tells family she was raped; parents confront her and learn of several assaults.

“He is the boyfriend of a family friend and through meeting him at some point he starts grooming her via text messages. And it’s believed that this started in April of 2024.”
— Nic [13:54]

• July 8, 2024: Aaron Spencer seeks information about Fossler—notifies an acquaintance but asks not to call police. The acquaintance contacts authorities.
• Law enforcement interviews the victim, begins rape investigation.
• Deputy warns Aaron: “Not to take the law into your own hands.” [14:03]

“We still don’t live in a country where you can take law into your own hands.”
— Deputy to Aaron Spencer [18:06]

• Aaron retorts: “Bullshit.” [19:37]

4. Fossler’s Arrest and Release

[20:30 – 23:20]

• July 11, 2024: Fossler arrested—charged with 43 counts (sexual assault, internet stalking, etc.)
• July 17, 2024: Fossler released on $50,000 bond.
• No-contact order issued—prohibiting any contact with the victim or any children.

“So Fossler was released on a $50,000 bond, which means $5,000 paid.”
— Nic [22:56]

5. The Second Crime – Kidnapping and Shooting

[29:41]

• October 8, 2024: At 1am, Aaron’s dog barks; parents discover daughter missing, find “Ferris Bueller-style” decoy (stuffed animal in bed).

• Heather (mother) calls 911 at 1:12am; Aaron searches by truck.

• Aaron spots Fossler’s truck with daughter inside, chases for about 6 miles, tries to get Fossler to pull over.

• At an intersection, Aaron rams Fossler’s truck, forcing it off the road.

  “He’s flashing his lights, he’s honking his horn, he’s doing everything to try to tell Fossler... to pull over.”
  — Nic [32:29]

• Aaron exits with firearm, orders Fossler out. Sees daughter struggling to exit truck, Fossler allegedly grabs her.

• Fossler exits, “lunges” at Aaron and says, “Fuck you.”

• Aaron fires 16 shots, hitting Fossler 15 times; then pistol-whips him.

• Aaron calls 911 at 1:34am, reports Fossler dead on the roadside.

  “Spencer shot Fossler in the chest, arms and abdomen with a Glock 19... shot him 15 times.”
  — Nic [36:12]

6. Aftermath: Legal and Public Response

[37:57, 40:14]

• Aaron is initially charged with first-degree murder, later reduced to second-degree with a firearms enhancement.
• Defense argues self-defense and defense of another (daughter).
• Massive public response: 195,000 sign petition advocating for Spencer’s acquittal.
• Gag order requested by State, opposed by defense—eventually lifted by Arkansas Supreme Court.

7. Wider Debate: Justice, Vigilantism, and the Law

[50:46, 51:33, 54:59]

• The hosts debate:

  • What constitutes justified self-defense or defense of another.
  • Parental (and community) rights to intervene during a crime in progress.
  • Risk to child victims and system failures.
  • Hypotheticals if the “kidnapping” happened inside the home.

• Notably, GoFundMe for Aaron’s defense was shut down due to policies about legal defense for violent crime charges.

• Aaron announces campaign for sheriff—criticizing system failures that endangered his family.

  “This campaign isn’t about me. It’s about every parent, every neighbor, every family who deserves to feel safe in their homes.”
  — Aaron Spencer [55:16]

• Incumbent sheriff John Staley asserts law enforcement’s dedication to justice and safety [57:08].

8. Pre-Trial Developments & Evidence Issues

[58:30, 63:33]

• Body cam and phone location evidence will be used at trial; defense withdraws one motion re: glass smoking device.
• Missing police dash-cam memory card raises suspicion—potential for evidence of Aaron’s demeanor/statements at scene lost.

“The reason why this is part of the pre-trial hearing is because you can’t have a jury hear that oh, this card may have gone missing on purpose...”
— Nic [63:49]

9. Moral and Legal Uncertainties

[65:27–74:21]

• Captain and Nic stress the importance of having the right to defend oneself or others.
• Discuss the fine line between justified defense and unlawful killing.
• Uncertainty: Would Aaron be charged had the abduction happened inside the home? If Fossler had no history?
• Emphasis: "What is right is not always what is lawful, and what is lawful is not always what is right." [73:36]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "You wish that you could rewind time and stand between them and whatever caused the harm... Trouble may arrive uninvited, but so does resolve."
  — Nic, opening monologue [03:41]

• "He shot him a lot."
  — Captain [35:15]

• "It's pretty pathetic that all we're going to charge these pedophiles with is a couple years."
  — Captain [59:51]

• "Several months went by and he didn't do that... It was only when his daughter was found and located in the middle of the night in the passenger seat of that offender's vehicle that he had to defend his family."
  — Nic [71:17]

• "What’s right and what is wrong does not always perfectly align with what is lawful and what is criminal."
  — Nic, on the trial’s dilemma [74:05]

Important Timestamps

• Setting & Case Introduction: [05:55] – [14:03]
• Timeline of Grooming & Assault: [13:54] – [22:56]
• Fossler's Arrest/Release: [20:30] – [23:20]
• Discovery of Abduction/Shooting: [29:41] – [36:13]
• Legal Aftermath & Public Reaction: [37:57] – [44:50]
• Heather Spencer’s Facebook Statement (Victim’s perspective): [44:56] – [49:20]
• Debate on Self-defense & Law: [50:46] – [74:21]
• Pre-trial Evidence Issues: [58:30] – [63:33]

Tone & Language

The episode is intense, emotional, and at times raw, but anchored by the hosts’ typical conversational style and dark humor. Both Nic and the Captain are candid about the system’s shortcomings, parental instincts, and how the facts of the case challenge easy “right vs. wrong” answers. Their tone is open-minded, but deeply empathetic to the Spencer family and the dilemmas facing both law enforcement and citizens.

Summary Takeaways

• The Aaron Spencer case is a deeply divisive true crime story that sits at the intersection of parental justice, law enforcement limitations, and self-defense laws.
• The chronology establishes a series of failures: a released predator, a preventable crime, and a fatal confrontation.
• The hosts challenge listeners to grapple with whether Spencer’s actions were justified protection or unlawful violence—and what it means for justice more broadly.
• The hosts anticipate a closely watched trial in January 2026, with profound implications for how the law and public opinion handle cases at the intersection of crime, punishment, and parental reaction.

Closing

“Until next week. Be good, be kind, and don’t litter.”
— True Crime Garage