The Candy Montgomery story is one that has fascinated people since news broke of a Texas housewife who murdered her friend with an axe. People today are just as shocked by the unspeakable violence as they were back then.
Though she went through a trial and was declared not guilty of murder, questions linger about what really happened. That's where the new HBO series Love & Death seeks to shine new light on the case.
Candy's story has been the fodder for true crime podcasts, books and television series over the years. In 2022, Jessica Biel played the title role in Hulu's docuseries Candy. Now the story is being reimagined at HBO Max with Elizabeth Olsen starring as Candy.
Let's break down what we know about the real-life Candy Montgomery.
Who is Candy Montgomery?
Candace "Candy" Montgomery was a suburban housewife in Collin County, Texas. She was married to Pat Montgomery, an electrical engineer, and together they had a son and a daughter.
Candy and her family attended the Methodist Church of Lucas, where she was a member of the church choir. She met Betty Gore, a local middle school teacher, at church and the women quickly formed a friendship. At the time, Betty had a young daughter who interacted with Candy's daughter.
In 1978, Candy entered into an extramarital affair with Betty's husband, Allan Gore. They'd agreed not to let emotions get in the way, so when Betty had a baby in 1979, Allan called off the affair. It's unknown whether Betty knew what was happening between Candy and her husband. Despite their agreement to not let their emotions get in the way, Candy was distraught about the affair coming to an end.
Did Candy Montgomery really kill Betty Gore?
Unlike other true crime stories, what happened to Betty Gore is no mystery. On June 13, 1980, Candy Montgomery, who was 30 at the time, struck Betty Gore 41 times with a wood splitting axe while her infant daughter was in a nearby bedroom.
There's no question that Candy killed Betty. It's the details of how it happened, and what happened afterward, that make this case so interesting.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Betty’s daughter was staying with Candy’s daughter, but she had a swim lesson, so Candy went to Betty's house on the morning of June 13 — Friday the 13th, incidentally — to pick up her bathing suit. Allan was out of town on business at the time.
Betty reportedly confronted Candy about the affair out of the blue, as it had been over a year since the affair ended. Betty went to the garage and grabbed an axe and a struggle ensued. By the end of it, Betty was dead. She'd been struck 41 times with the axe.
After the murder, Candy washed up in Betty's bathroom and left to go about her day, even taking Betty's daughter to her swim lesson. She left the baby crying in her room.
When Allan couldn't get in touch with Betty, he had the neighbors look in on her and they're the ones who found her body. The baby had cried so much she'd lost her voice.
Did Candy Montgomery go to jail?
The case was investigated by local authorities, who eventually determined that Candy was responsible. Candy didn't deny it, but her lawyers helped her explain that trauma from her childhood led her to attack Betty — in self defense, of course. Dr. Fred Fason, a local psychiatrist, explained that something Betty said to Candy during the struggle triggered a "dissociative reaction" in Candy. He came to this conclusion after hypnotizing her.
The jury found Candy not guilty. Three men and nine women believed her self-defense story, allowing Candy to go free.
Where is Candy Montgomery now?
Though Candy wanted to return to her life, she didn't realize that everything had changed with the verdict. There were people in the community — and around the nation — who were furious that she got away with murder.
After the trial, Candy and her family moved to Georgia and started a new life. She and Pat divorced in 1984.
According to The Crime Wire, Candy still lives in Georgia, now going by her maiden name Candance Wheeler, and reportedly working as a mental health counselor.
Love & Death releases new episodes on Thursdays on HBO Max.
