Candy Montgomery, a devoted and selfless woman, made quite a sensation in her Dallas neighbourhood on Friday, June 13, 1980 when she was detained for murdering her friend Betty Gore with 41 blows from an axe. Candy argued that she killed Betty out of self-defense when put on trial. What was particularly outrageous was that Candy was exonerated after this defence strategy was successful in court.
It was only a matter of time during the heyday of true crime that this horrible tale would be serialised for television. With “Candy,” a five-episode limited series starring Jessica Biel as the title character, Hulu first took on the challenge. With the true-crime drama “Love & Death,” which will debut on April 27 and stars Elizabeth Olsen as the lead character, HBO Max is now also tackling the tale. In a short teaser released on August 21, 2022, viewers received their first glimpse at the new drama, in which Olsen plays the disgruntled housewife at the centre of a shocking real-life murder investigation. On March 23, the last caravan was made available.
The “Love & Death” trailer for HBO Max revisits the infamous true-crime tale of Candy Montgomery.
The best actors in Hollywood have undoubtedly been cast to play Candy, but who was the actual Candy? The information you need to know about Candy and her whereabouts after the trial is provided below.
Who Was Candy Montgomery?
Candy didn’t seem like the main suspect in a Friday the 13th murder investigation. She was well-liked in her Texan community, attended church frequently, and was a devoted wife to Pat Montgomery and mother to two kids. However, Candy also kept some secrets to herself. She first met Betty, her victim, and Allan Gore, Betty’s husband, at church. Allan eventually became Candy’s lover, and he unavoidably told detectives about their relationship.
On June 13, 1980, seven months after Allan had broke his relationship with Candy, Betty was discovered brutally killed in her house with a three-foot axe. The Dallas Morning News said that Candy was implicated by fingerprints and footprints found at the site. After Betty was murdered, Candy was detained and accused of the crime.
What Happened During Candy Montgomery’s Trial?
It was assumed that Candy had envy as her motivation for killing. In an unexpected turn of events, Candy’s legal team claimed that while Candy had indeed killed Betty, she had done so out of necessity, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Allan had allegedly been away on business. Candy offered to drive the Gores’ kid to her swimming lesson when she dropped by Betty’s house. Candy was allegedly attacked with an axe by Betty after being challenged about the relationship. Candy got command of the axe and hacked Betty with it. Candy repeatedly swung the axe down at Betty during their alleged struggle, inflicting 41 axe wounds. Just before Halloween in 1980, Candy was declared innocent after a brief jury discussion.
What Happened to Candy Montgomery After Her Trial?
Following these occurrences, Candy moved to Georgia and obtained her certification in family counselling, according to The Dallas Morning News. Candy is still alive, divorced from her husband Pat, and now goes by the name Candace Wheeler, according to Newsweek.
