Candy Montgomery From 'Love & Death' Has Only Left A Few Traces Behind
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When a show takes place in a quaint small town where nothing happens, you can pretty much bet you're about to see the most bizarre or horrific story unravel. HBO Max's new series Love & Death, which premiered April 27, delivers on that promise—detailing the story of Candace "Candy" Montgomery, her affair with her best friend's husband, and a gruesome murder.
ICYDK, Candy Montgomery is a real person and the quaint little town setting was actually Wylie, Texas, in 1980. Love & Death, which is sourced from a Texas Monthly story published originally in 1984, per The Daily Mail, picks up just as Candy (Elizabeth Olsen) decides to pursue an affair with Allan Gore (Jesse Plemmons), the husband of her best friend, Betty Gore (Lily Rabe).
The affair was eventually broken off, but Betty later confronted Montgomery, which led to her brutally killing Betty with an ax. Just how did things escalate that far? Women's Health has gathered all the details on the real life Candy Montgomery—from her crime, to where she is now.
What did Candy do to Betty Gore?
Candace Montgomery met the Gore family at church. According to Texas Monthly, no one who knew Candy Montgomery in real life believed she was capable of committing such a heinous crime. Church was the "center of Montgomery's universe," and it is also the setting where she met Betty, and decided she wanted to have an affair with Betty's husband, Allan.
Bored in her marriage to her husband, Pat (Patrick Fugit), Montgomery had been planning an affair for months, her friends told Texas Monthly. She decided on Allan Gore during a church volleyball game, after bumping into him and thinking he smelled "sexy," according to the magazine.
Although the affair had ended, Betty Gore confronted Montgomery about it on the morning of Friday, June 13, 1980. Montgomery had stopped by Betty's home to pick up a swimsuit for Betty's daughter, Alisa, who had spent the night at the Montgomery's the previous evening. Montgomery was reportedly taking both women's children to Vacation Bible School that morning.
It's unclear exactly what happened after Betty confronted Montgomery that morning, but somehow a three-foot ax entered the possession of one of the women, and Montgomery ended up brutally murdering Betty with the weapon.
Gore ended up with 41 ax-slashes, including 28 that went directly to her head and face. According to The Dallas Morning News, Montgomery continued on with the rest of her plans that day as though nothing had happened.
Authorities came to Gore’s home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on the night of Friday, June 13, where they found Betty hacked to death, according to Texas Monthly. They found Gore’s body in a small room in her home. Only a few feet away lay the three-foot-long ax. The entire right side of her face was missing.
Montgomery eventually turned herself in to local authorities and was put on $100,000 bond, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Did Candy go to jail?
No. Candace Montgomery was acquitted of murder charges in October 1980. Montgomery said she acted in self-defense, but admitted to the crime, per Texas Monthly. Of note: Texas has a "Stand Your Ground" law that permits the use deadly force if it is absolutely necessary to prevent a violent crime (i.e. murder, sexual assault, robbery, etc.).
During the eight-day trial, Montgomery’s legal team argued that she acted in self-defense, per the Dallas Morning News, saying that Gore came after Montgomery with the ax and there was a struggle. Gore was left with 41 stab wounds—and experts in the trial said that Gore was unconscious when most of the stabs took place.
Montgomery also allegedly showered in Gore’s bathroom and left the couple's 1-year-old baby alone in the house before going about her day. Betty Gore's body was first discovered by neighbors. Allan Gore was on a business trip that day, and had neighbors go inside his home on the evening of June 13 when he couldn't contact her.
Where is she living now?
It’s not entirely clear where Candace Montgomery headed after the trial. Texas Monthly and other news sites say she left Texas soon after the trial ended and never returned.
There are some reports online that Montgomery now goes by Candace Wheeler (her maiden name) and lives in Georgia. At least one report suggest she now works as a mental health therapist with her daughter, Jenny. But WH hasn't found a trace of Candy online.
Allan Gore reportedly "quickly remarried" during Candace Montgomery's trial and moved out of Wylie, per The Dallas Morning News. However, the marriage did not last, and his daughters, Alisa and Bethany, were reportedly raised by Betty Gore's parents.
Allan Gore is now retired and reportedly lives in Sarasota, Florida with a domestic partner, per the Fort Worth-Star Telegram.
You can learn more about the brutal murder of Betty Gore, and Candace Montgomery in Love & Death, streaming on HBO Max on April 27.
What is her net worth?
It’s not clear what Candy’s net worth is and she doesn’t seem to be affiliated with the making of Love & Death or Hulu's Candy, which released last year—so she wouldn’t have earned a profit from it. Wherever she is, it’s clear she’d rather remain under the radar now.
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