Two dramatic TV shows based on the events of June 13, 1980, have been produced within a year of one another: the 2022 Hulu series Candy, starring Jessica Biel, and the 2023 HBO limited series Love & Death, starring Elizabeth Olsen.
If you are obsessed with this tale, you may be wondering what happened to Candy Montgomery and whether she is currently behind bars for the alleged murder of her close friend Betty Gore.
In any case, Candy Montgomery was convicted of killing Betty Gore; is she still in jail? Continue reading to learn more about Candy Montgomery’s true story, Love & Death, and whether she is still alive.
What happened to Candy Montgomery?
Born Candice Wheeler, Candy was charged with murdering Betty Gore on June 13, 1980, in Wylie, Texas, after having an extramarital relationship with Allan Gore. After meeting Betty at a service at the United Methodist Church of Lucas in Collin County, Texas, Candy, who lived nearby the Gores with her husband Pat Montgomery, their two children, and Betty, a middle school teacher, grew close to the Gores.
Texas Monthly claims that during a hypnosis session with the schizophrenic Dr. Fred Fason, Candy confessed to the killing. She testified at her trial that she went to see Betty to get a swimsuit for Alisa, Betty’s daughter, who was spending the night with Candy and her husband.
Candy was at Betty’s house when Betty confronted her about the relationship with Allan. Candy admitted to the affair but claimed to have ended “a long time ago.” Candy testified at the trial that Betty left the room and returned carrying an ax, threatening Candy with never seeing Allan again if she did not agree to it. Candy complied.
Candy said she picked up Alisa’s swimsuit and apologized to Betty, which, she said, made Betty mad and pushed her into a utility room. Candy alleged that she and Betty got into a protracted fight that left her with cuts on her head and toe. Additionally, according to her, Betty told her that she wanted “to kill” her.
Additionally, Candy claimed that she was able to take the ax away from Betty and defend herself by cutting Betty with the ax before her friend could attack her once more.
In her attempt to escape the room, Candy claimed that Betty slammed her body against the door, stopping her in her tracks. Candy feared that she had killed Betty.
Struggle between Betty and Candy
When Betty would not let Candy go, a fight broke out between them. Candy hit Betty with the ax until she was “utterly exhausted” during the argument after Betty told her to “shush.” This set Candy off.
In the course of her hypnosis, Candy also asserted that being told to “shush” during a childhood trauma trigger had caused her to experience the trauma. Allan was out of town on the day Betty passed away. He asked the neighbors to call his wife when he could not get through on the phone.
Betty and Allan’s 1-year-old daughter, Bethany, had been sleeping in her crib in another room at the time of the incident, but when they forced their way inside the house, they found Betty’s dead body.
Bethany was crying and awake. Authorities claim that Candy slashed Betty 41 times, including 28 times on her head and face, using a three-foot-long ax that was nearby when Candy was near Betty.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Betty was given a $100,000 bond after turning herself into local authorities shortly after the murder.
In October 1980, Candy was found not guilty of murder after an eight-day trial in which the prosecution contended that Candy killed Betty deliberately and that Candy had acted in self-defense; the defense contended that Candy had acted in self-defense and the prosecution contended that Betty was conscious when the majority of the stab wounds were sustained.
In court, psychiatrists argued that Candy repeatedly stabbed Betty as a result of a “dissociative reaction.” The incident was also shielded by Texas’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which permits the use of lethal force when necessary to put an end to a violent crime, such as Betty’s violent threats against Candy.
In the end, Candy was found not guilty because she had used self-defense. On October 29, 1980, a jury found her not guilty of the murder charges. She did not spend time in jail.
Where is Candy Montgomery now?
According to Texas Monthly, Candy and her husband Pat relocated from Texas to Georgia following the 1980 trial. They submitted a divorce petition four years later. According to Entertainment Weekly, Candy has resumed using her maiden name, Candace Wheeler, and she continues to live in Georgia. She and her daughter Jenny both work as mental health counselors in a joint practice.
In a 2022 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Biel admitted that she made an effort to contact Candy’s agent to inquire about whether “she was interested in having any conversation whatsoever.” Biel claimed that she did not show any interest.
When speaking with him about the role of Candy, Biel said that Robert Udashen, one of the two lawyers who represented Candy in court, was a “huge resource of information” for Candy.
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Candy Montgomery – FAQs
Did Candy’s husband stay with her?
Texas Monthly reported that nearly two years after her murder trial was concluded, Candy and Pat relocated from Texas to Georgia to start over and live a more tranquil life. Then, in 1986, the couple filed for divorce. We do not know if Pat has kept in touch with Candy since their divorce; he is now in his 70s.
Where is Allan Gore now?
Sarasota, Florida. Since moving away from Wylie, Gore has lived alone. Currently retired, he shares a home in Sarasota, Florida, with a domestic partner he has known since at least 2016.
Where are Candy Montgomery kids now?
Candy and Pat Montgomery uprooted their family from Texas to Georgia after Betty’s murder and the contentious trial, and they have likely remained there ever since, even though the two got divorced two years after the incident.
