Clarence King Bagwell was born around 1908 in Brevard, North Carolina. He was married to Flora Bagwell and worked as a plasterer. Bagwell had a history of criminal activity and was known to associate with dubious individuals. His life took a darker turn when he became involved in a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by the Logue family in Edgefield County, South Carolina.

In 1941, following the acquittal of Davis Timmerman for the death of John Wallace Logue, the Logue family sought retribution. Sue and George Logue, along with their nephew Joe Frank Logue, conspired to murder Timmerman. They enlisted the services of Clarence Bagwell, offering him $500 to carry out the killing. Joe Frank, who was a police officer in Spartanburg, South Carolina, procured a .38 caliber revolver from a pawn shop and provided it to Bagwell. On September 17, 1941, Bagwell entered Timmerman's store under the guise of making a purchase. As Timmerman turned his back, Bagwell shot him multiple times at point-blank range, resulting in Timmerman's death.

After the murder, Bagwell returned to Spartanburg and attempted to resume his normal life. However, his proclivity for drinking led him to boast about the crime to a confidante. This individual reported the information to the authorities, leading to Bagwell's arrest in November 1941. Faced with substantial evidence, including witness identifications and his own admissions, Bagwell confessed to the murder and implicated the Logues in the plot.

In January 1942, Bagwell was tried and convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death and, after a series of unsuccessful appeals, was executed by electrocution on January 15, 1943, at the South Carolina Penitentiary in Columbia. His execution occurred shortly after those of Sue and George Logue, who were also convicted for their roles in the murder.