Great post! Welcome!
Yes, it's an interesting state of affairs. I suppose it depends on how much of FW's assets have been squirreled away. She keeps some of the top lawyers in SE Ohio on retainer to handle her affairs. The also appear to have close associations with the Pike County courts. JMO, she has greater influence over how Billy's case is handled than anyone else, with the exception of Gov. DeWine.
If she has her assets locked up, she may leave it up to Billy to decide whether to keep fighting. He's a stubborn guy who wants to prove a point - that no one controls him.
Like his other family members, he doesn't feel any regrets about killing 8 innocent people. They think the Rhodens "deserved it" and Hanna Gilley was just unlucky. Wagners are raised to believe they're superior to others and entitled to follow their own rules. (Wagner exceptionalism) That's why he wants to fight in court. He thinks he can win because he didn't do anything wrong, even though he murdered his former friend and his family. JMO, had they not murdered so many people, the Wagners probably would have gotten away with it. The intense scrutiny from worldwide news media and outsiders brought pressure to bear on the local system.
FW or her attorneys are probably advising him. JMO, it's hard to say what he will decide. He doesn't listen to his own attorneys advice, but he might listen to his mother's. But what advice will she give? It was revealed that she was giving controlled substances to Billy from her nursing home. The statute of limitations on that is 6 years, so it may not apply. Perhaps it could impact the licensing of her nursing home.