Billy Bagwell v. State of Arkansas

── Billy Bagwell v. State of Arkansas ── Court: Court of Appeals of Arkansas Date: March 11, 2026 Category: General Cite as 2026 Ark. App. 169 ARKANSAS COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION 1 No. CR-25-394 Opinion Delivered March 11, 2026 BILLY BAGWELL APPELLANT APPEAL FROM THE GRANT COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT [NO. 27CR-23-129] V. HONORABLE STEPHEN L. SHIRRON, STATE OF ARKANSAS JUDGE APPELLEE AFFIRMED CASEY R. TUCKER, Judge Following a jury trial in the Grant County Circuit Court, Billy Bagwell was convicted of rape. On appeal, Bagwell argues that there is insufficient evidence to support his conviction. We affirm. On December 13, 2023, Bagwell was criminally charged with the rape of his fifteen- year-old stepdaughter, the minor victim (MV). MV lived with Bagwell; her mother, Amy Nicole “Nikki” Bagwell; and her younger sister (MC). MV testified about events that transpired when she and MC were left alone with Bagwell on October 28, 2023. Nikki attended a Halloween party, which caused her to stay out all night. After Nikki left and MC fell asleep, MV stated she consumed a frozen margarita with tequila that Bagwell had made for her. Around 11:00 p.m., MV and Bagwell went into the garage where MV pulled out a weight bar to exercise. Bagwell came up behind her and grabbed her waist, which made her feel uncomfortable. MV complained of having back pain and Bagwell suggested that the two of them go into the master bedroom, where he told MV to lie face down on the bed so he could “pop” her back. When asked what happened next, MV recounted that Bagwell pulled her sweatpants and underwear down past her knees. MV stated that Bagwell touched “[her] vaginal area” with his hand, which shocked her and caused her to freeze. Bagwell penetrated her labia majora with his fingers and tongue before MV pushed him away, jumped up, ran, and locked herself inside her bedroom. After Bagwell convinced her to unlock her bedroom door, he sat on the edge of the bed next to MV and told her “[h]e wouldn’t do it again.” MV testified that Bagwell also made her place her hand on a Bible and swear that she would not tell a soul what happened that night. MV testified that initially she did not tell anyone, including her father, who picked her up the next morning. MV testified further that when Bagwell, Nikki, and MC traveled to Louisiana a week after the incident, she refused to go with them. While her family was away, she confided in her friends about what Bagwell had done to her. She also testified that Bagwell had inappropriately touched her on other occasions before October 2023. Nikki testified that after she married Bagwell in 2014, she, MV, MC, and Bagwell had moved into a residence in Sheridan. On the evening of October 28, 2023, Nikki attended a Halloween party in Hot Springs while Bagwell agreed to stay home to watch MV and MC. Nikki confirmed that she returned home sometime the following morning and immediately noticed that the mattress in her bedroom was displaced from the box spring. When Nikki questioned Bagwell about why the mattress was displaced, Bagwell initially claimed the 2 mattress looked normal and then demonstrated by jumping on the bed how it might move. Nikki asked Bagwell what he did the night before, and he stated that their neighbor had come over and “they hung out . . . and he drank quite a few beers.” Nikki testified that MV seemed very moody that day after returning home from spending time with her dad, and Bagwell “seemed off.” Nikki testified that the following Friday she, Bagwell, and MC left town to go to