Candy Montgomery’s life took a drastic turn in June 1980 when she committed an act of violence that shocked a community and altered her family’s fate forever.
On June 13, 1980, Candy, a mother of two, brutally killed her friend Betty Gore with an ax, striking her 41 times following an argument regarding an affair Candy had with Betty’s husband, Allan Gore. The Montgomerys, who had moved to Wylie, Texas, in the late 1970s, appeared to be a typical suburban family. Candy and her husband, Pat Montgomery, who worked as an electrical engineer, had two children whose identities have remained private. The family seemed to enjoy a relatively normal life until Candy’s affair and its tragic outcome disrupted everything.
The relationship with Allan Gore lasted several months but ended when he chose to focus on his marriage after the birth of their second child. This decision led to turmoil, culminating in Betty’s gruesome murder. Initially claiming self-defense, Candy later confessed to the killing amid mounting evidence. During her trial, experts suggested that deep-seated childhood trauma had triggered her violent reaction. Ultimately, in October 1980, she was acquitted of murder, a verdict that sparked public outrage.
Following the trial, the Montgomery family disengaged from the public eye and relocated to Georgia, where Candy later returned to education, pursuing counseling while adopting her maiden name, Candace Wheeler. Pat and Candy eventually separated, further distancing themselves from their past.
The brutal murder and aftermath have inspired multiple portrayals in Hollywood, most recently in HBO Max’s “Love & Death” featuring Elizabeth Olsen. In these adaptations, the Montgomery children’s names have been fictionalized to protect their privacy, reflecting the family’s desire to remain out of the limelight since the incident.
Over the past four decades, Candy and Pat Montgomery’s children have continued to live out of sight, maintaining a low profile away from their mother’s infamous legacy. The path that once led to a devastating crime has, in many ways, also set the stage for a journey of healing and redirection away from their family’s painful past.
As society continues to grapple with the complexities of crime and its impact on families, the story of Candy Montgomery serves as a reminder of the far-reaching consequences that violent acts can have—transforming lives not only for the individuals involved but also for their loved ones.