What did Candy Montgomery do?
Candy Montgomery is an American woman who was accused of killing the wife of her lover. This woman’s name was Betty Gore, and she was killed in Wylie, Texas, on the 13th of June 1980. Gore was hit 41 times with a wood-splitting axe.
Candy Montgomery was married to an electrical engineer called Pat Montgomery. They had 2 children together and had moved to Collin County, Texas back in 1977. Candy struck up a close friendship with Betty Gore who was a school teacher in the area and lived close by with her husband, Allan, and their 2 children. It was all nice and cosy until Candy became embroiled in a love affair with Allan Gore.
Allan Gore was out of town when Betty was brutally murdered and raised the alarm when he couldn’t get hold of his wife on the phone. Neighbours discovered Betty’s brutally slain body, and the investigation into her murder began.
What happened during the trial?
Candy Montgomery was arrested for Betty Gore’s murder but she claimed it was self-defence after being attacked by Betty when she found out about the affair she was having with her husband.
Candy went on trial in McKinney, Texas. Despite striking the victim with 41 blows, Montgomery was found not guilty on the 30th October 1980. It’s hard to comprehend how someone who took a life with such vast levels of overkill was able to be found not guilty, but that is what happened in this case.
Where is Candy Montgomery now?
Candy Montgomery relocated to Georgia with her family after the trial ended, seeking out a fresh start. However, her marriage to Pat broke down and they divorced soon after. She is now known by her maiden name, Wheeler, and she now works as a mental health therapist for adults and teens. She is 73 years old.
Candy Montgomery’s story has very much been in the spotlight in recent years with the release of 2 mini-series about her case. The first was the Hulu original called Candy, which was released in May 2022. The second was called Love and Death, which was released on HBO Max in April 2023.
Read more: Love & Death Season 1 Review
What do you think about Candy Montgomery’s case? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.