The wife of a man who fatally shot the alleged rapist and kidnapper of their teenage daughter described her husband’s actions as those of any parent safeguarding their child.

At 38, Heather Spencer expressed that her husband, Aaron Spencer, 37, intervened to protect their daughter’s life by shooting a 67-year-old man who had abducted her from their farm in Cabot, Arkansas, approximately 25 miles from Little Rock.

The 14-year-old girl had been targeted, groomed and raped by Michael Fosler, who was the boyfriend of a family friend, according to police.

The man, Fosler, faced charges of rape and engaging in internet stalking of a minor in July 2024. Despite these charges, he was released on a $50,000 bond prior to abducting the girl, then 13 years old, in October.

In an interview with CNN, Heather said her daughters’ life was in danger when she was abducted, and that her husband, a former Army soldier, did what any parent would have done to save their child.

‘What parent is going to say, “Hey, 911. We called you a minute ago, but it turns out I found her with the guy who’s been assaulting her for months. And they took a left on the highway. I hope you can find him,”‘ she told the outlet.

‘You kind of assume the risk that somebody is going to shoot you when you rape children … and then you rape them some more.’

Heather recalled the terrifying moment she and her husband realized their daughter was missing from her room at midnight on October 8, 2024.

‘Statistics and horror stories race through my mind. My baby. My little girl. All I could do was pray,’ Heather said. 

The teen’s parents called 911 but decided to go looking for their daughter themselves after they learned their daughter had been having contact with Fosler following his release from jail, despite a no-contact order, Heather said. 

‘I tell 911 that this man may be involved and as I’m speaking, I’m realizing that if he does have her, I’ll probably never see her again,’ Heather said.  

After driving about 10 miles, they spotted Fosler’s vehicle – and their daughter in his passenger seat, Aaron told police, according to court documents. 

Aaron then made a U-turn and began pursuing Fesler’s car, eventually rear-ending it and forcing it off the road. The father told police he saw his daughter trying to exit the vehicle before Fesler grabbed her. 

Aaron said he told Fesler to get out of the car but that the man ‘lunged towards him’ with something in his hand as he shouted ‘f**k you.’ Police have not said whether Fesler was armed.

Moments later, Aaron fired his gun at Fosler until he ran out of bullets. He then jumped on Fosler and pistol-whopped him, according to police.

Aaron then called 911 and said his daughter’s kidnapper was ‘dead on the side of the road,’ and that ‘he had no choice’ but to shoot him. 

He was initially charged with first-degree murder but Lonoke County prosecutors reduced the charge to second-degree murder.

Heather insisted her husband is a peaceful person who does not deserve to be treated as a criminal.

‘You really couldn’t ask for a better husband or father,’ she said. ‘His support and love for his family is strong and unwavering.’ 

The Spencers’ case has captured the nation’s attention, with some hailing Aaron as a hero and others arguing the parents should have left police handle the situation.

Various petitions demanding charges against Aaron be dropped by have been signed by over 350,000 people, and a state gun rights group has taken up his cause. 

Aaron’s trial is scheduled to begin in January, 2026.