A 50-year-old Pikeville man is behind bars after investigators say he assaulted a woman and held her against her will for multiple days at a residence in the 100 block of Southgate Lane. Andy Bickford was taken into custody on Friday and now faces one count each of aggravated assault and aggravated kidnapping.
The arrest followed a joint investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Pikeville Police Department, according to a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation release. Agents opened the case at the request of 12th Judicial District Attorney General Courtney Lynch, who asked the TBI to look into the alleged kidnapping and assault in Pikeville, the agency said.
According to the TBI, Bickford assaulted the victim and held her against her will for multiple days at the Southgate Lane address. As reported by WZTV, Bickford was arrested Friday in connection with the kidnapping and assault allegations before being booked into the Bledsoe County Jail.
Charges Filed After TBI Review
Investigators charged Bickford with one count of aggravated assault and one count of aggravated kidnapping, per the TBI's account of the case. The agency's release does not detail how the alleged victim was located or whether additional charges could follow.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press similarly reported that the Pikeville man is facing the same two felony charges stemming from the case. The TBI has emphasized that Bickford is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
Details about the alleged victim, including her identity, age, or account of what happened, have not been released. A fuller timeline of the alleged multi-day kidnapping has also not been made public as the case moves forward.
