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Betty Gore’s Death: Did Candy Montgomery actually kill Betty Gore?
Keep scrolling for all the chilling details you must know about Betty Gore’s death and answers to questions like Did Candy Montgomery actually kill Betty Gore?
Not that anyone can forget about a gruesome murder mystery but with the release of the much talked about show Love & Death on HBO Max, the chilling crime drama miniseries is based on a true event (directed by Lesli Linka Glatter along with Clark Johnson in 2023) the controversy about the infamous Betty Gore’s death case regained its buzz. While the HBO Max true crime show claims it reveals a lot about the 1980s murder mystery which is pretty much about how Betty Gore was brutally murdered at her own home in the summer of 1980 by none other than her best friend and neighbor named Candy Montgomery, who was accused of having an affair with Betty’s husband. Despite these facts, anyone who has heard of the murder is compelled to ask these questions, ‘Who was Betty Gore?’ ‘Who actually killed Betty Gore?’ and ‘Where is Candy Montgomery?’ among several others.
In this article, you will find all the real answers to all the above questions along with everything else there is to know about the Texas women and what led to the infamous crime of passion. As you continue to read, you will not only understand how the unfortunate events unfolded but get splitting facts about the court proceedings, Jury results, and the judgment. In fact, we have also enlisted the books and shows apart from Love and Death that explain this '80s murder in utmost detail. 
Who was Betty Gore?
Betty Gore was a Texas elementary school teacher back in the ‘80s. She resided in a small, suburban neighborhood near Dallas. She was married to Allan Gore, who worked under an electronics conglomerate as well as a prominent defense contractor. If you think about it, they were the poster image of a perfect American family. The couple had two daughters named Alisa Gore and Bethany Gore. The parents of two were a pretty typical church-going American couple until one day Betty was found dead at her known house. Reportedly, the woman was brutally struck 41 times with an axe. Her best friend and neighbor at the time, Candy Montgomery was accused of killing Betty Gore after Betty confronted Montgomery about having an extramarital affair with her husband Allan Gore.
Betty Gore and Alan Gore
Betty Pomeroy was a gorgeous-looking conventional girl from Norwich, Kansas while Alan Gore was a timid man with a receding hairline. Well, it was clear why he fell for her, but friends as well as family kept wondering why she settled with him. It was back in January of 1970 they got married and began living together in the suburbs of Dallas. Allan began working at Rockwell International. It was later in 1976 Betty began teaching. The couple had two kids but their life was pretty bland. While the couple seemed happy they had an absent sex life which was just one of the several underlying issues. Reports reveal this led to an illegitimate relationship between Alan Gore and Candy Mongomery, Betty’s neighbor and best friend who she met at a church.
Who killed Betty Gore? - Was it Candy Montgomery?
Reports suggest that one fine evening, Betty confronted Candy about the affair with her husband which she denied at first. But, the affair was the hot talk of the trial that was held after the murder of Betty Gore. Sources claim that when asked in court, Candy Montgomery strongly argued that she hurt Betty Gore only in self-defense.
It was shared that after Betty confronted Candy about the affair, she left the room and returned hysterically with an axe. Candy explained that she saw Betty with the axe and simply blacked out. She sought help from a hypnotist to remember what happened, sharing that at first, Betty put the axe down. However, when they said their goodbyes and Candy apologized, Betty sprinted toward her with full rage. Candy shared her experience and mentioned that Betty even tried to swing the axe in an attempt to kill her. Candy, in fact, knew nothing else but to beg for her life, but Betty shushed her. Candy added that the shushing reminded her of her abusive mom, which made her snap. This was when Candy grabbed the axe from Betty's hands and began swinging. She shared that she didn't stop swinging until Betty went down.
After an exhaustive trial, the jury, the god of guilts reached a verdict of not guilty which simply means Candy Montgomery is free and is not guilty of murder. However, she was the one who killed Betty but only in self-defense.
10 Unknown Facts about Betty Gore and her death
Here are ten bone-chilling facts about Betty Gore's
- Betty Gore’s maiden name is Pomeroy.
- Betty accused her best friend Candy Montgomery of having a affair with her husband which led to her death.
- She was actually killed by her best friend Candy Montgomery in self-defense.
- Betty’s dead body was found in her own house’s utility room.
- She was struck by an axe 41 times. The axe was aimed at her head 28 times out of 41 which led to heavy bleeding
- Candy even cleaned up in Betty Gore's bathroom after the incident
- One of Betty's daughters was still in the house when the unfortunate incident happened.
- Betty Gore's neighbors named Lester Gayler and Richard Parker found the bloody crime scene.
- Montgomery was not a suspect for very long in the gruesome murder case of Betty Gore but Allan came clean about the affair which made her a prime suspect.
- Betty Gore's body was brutally mutilated.
Betty Gore TV Shows
Whether it is books, TV shows, movies, or even songs, true crime has been a source of inspiration for writers all around the world. That’s exactly why the chilling murder mystery has been a subject of interest. The murder was buzzworthy because of its gruesome nature and especially because of the fact that writers have taken it as an inspiration to create multiple true crime shows and series. When it comes to famous Betty Gore TV shows, a TV movie titled A Killing in a Small Town released in 1990 went on to become a true crime legend.
Another famous miniseries that you must watch depicts the story of Betty Gore is this five-episode mini-series titled Candy, starring Jessica Biel as Candy Mongomery, Melanie Lynskey as Betty Gore, and Pablo Schreiber as Allan Gore. The series is available on Hulu to stream.
Lastly, a show called Love and Death is another show whose plot line is actually based on the articles posted about the murder in Texas Monthly articles and several books about the murder. The series is all set to star Elizabeth Olsen as Candy, Lily Rabe as Betty, and the Academy Award nominee Jesse Plemons for the role of Allan Gore. The first episode of the mini-series was released on April 27, 2023. You must watch the show for splitting facts about the case along with a serious dose of entertainment.
Who is Candy Montgomery?
With the hype that this case has received everybody wants to know who actually is Candy Montgomery. Let us spill some real facts.
Candace Lynn Montgomery who is also known as Candy Montgomery now uses the name, Candace Wheeler. She was born on November 15, 1949. She is an American citizen who was accused of killing her best friend Betty Gore who was also her lover's wife. The case has acquired a lot of attention as the court proceedings were all over the papers. Not just that, their terrifying and unusual case has been an inspiration for a number of books and mini-series.
According to reports, the Betty Gore murder took place on June 13, 1980, in Betty Gore’s house in Wylie, Texas. The reports even revealed during the fatal assault the victim was
brutally struck with a huge axe around 41 times including the head. Interestingly, after the lengthy court proceedings, Candy Montgomery pleaded not guilty. In other words, it was proved that Candace did not want to attack Betty but had to attack in order to protect herself. Her severe charges of murder were dropped on the basis of self-defense. It was proven in court that when Betty confronted Candace about her affair with Gore's husband, she lost control and blatantly attacked Candace with the wood-splitting axe. Candace Montgomery was proven innocent and was pardoned.
Betty Gore and Candy Montgomery - Court Proceedings Facts and Details
The people who followed the case were also curious about the fact that who represented the famous Candy Montgomery. Amidst the serious court proceedings, she was represented by a civil law attorney named Don Crowder along with a defense attorney named Robert Udashen. The judge of the trial was a District Judge named Tom Ryan. The hearings and court proceedings were held in McKinney, Texas. They lasted for a time span of eight days.
What happened to Candy Montgomery?
Montgomery argued it was self-defense, and claimed that she only defended herself with the axe only after Betty attacked her right after confronting her if she had an affair with her husband. When it comes to what happened to Candy Montgomery, she went through a polygraph test right before the trial, which only proved she is totally honest. The case’s district attorney named Tom O'Connell asserted that Candace Montgomery actually could have escaped but she didn't. In fact, he also claimed he attacks 41 times in self-defense. Regardless, on October 30, 1980, Candy Montgomery was announced not guilty by the jury. The jury consisted of three men as well as nine women.
What was the public reaction after the trial results?
The public reaction after the trial was not supportive of Candy. In fact, it received massive criticism. Not just that, reports claim when Candy walked out of the courthouse after being proven not guilty, the crowds actually repeatedly chanted, "Murderer! Murderer!"
According to an old report, The victim's father, named Bob Pomeroy, stated his dissatisfaction with the trial: “As far as I'm concerned, justice will be served. She has to live with it ... I wouldn't say I was happy with the verdict. We don't know what happened and we never will know what happened.”
Where Is Candy Montgomery Now?
When it comes to where is Candace Montgomery in 2023, Candy Montgomery is currently living in Georgia. In fact, Entertainment Weekly reported that she went back to her maiden name Candace Wheeler. Candace lives with her daughter named Jenny and works as a mental health counselor.
Famous Books and Movies about Candy Montgomery
When it comes to famous books as well as movies based on the life of Candy Montgomery, her story has been told in detail in a Hulu mini-series titled Candy, starring Jessica Biel, and HBO's mini-series titled Love and Death. Both of them are based on the news articles published during the time along with the book titled Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs. We highly recommend you to go through the book and watch the show if you are a fan of murder mysteries, court dramas, or true crime as a genre.
If you loved the above article about the court proceedings of the intriguing Betty Gore murder mystery and inside details about what happened to Candy Montgomery, you are definitely going to love our bonus list of top crime dramas featuring murders or mysteries that are based on true events.
Top 100 True Crime shows and movies listed according to their popularity:
The shows and movies are similar to the Betty Gore cased and are based on real-life crimes. Scroll on for a list top 100 true crime shows and movies listed according to their popularity along with their IMDb ratings as well as the year of release. The list is an all-inclusive list that consists of not just murder mysteries but true crimes of various kinds that were unfortunate but served as inspiration for the creation of cinematic history.
1. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) - IMDb rating: 8.2/10
2. Narcos (2015–2017) - IMDb rating: 8.8/10
3. Love & Death (2023) - IMDb rating: 7.5/10
4. Goodfellas (1990) - IMDb rating: 8.7/10
5. I, Tonya (2017) - IMDb rating: 7.5/10
6. The Irishman (2019) - IMDb rating: 7.8/10
7. Catch Me If You Can (2002) - IMDb rating: 8.1/10
8. House of Gucci (2021) - IMDb rating: 6.6/10
9. Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022–2024) - IMDb rating: 7.9/10
10. Blow (2001) - IMDb rating: 7.5/10
11. The Girl from Plainville (2022) - IMDb rating: 6.4/10
12. Legend (2015) - IMDb rating: 6.9/10
13. Spotlight (2015) - IMDb rating: 8.1/10
14. Jerry and Marge Go Large (2022) - IMDb rating: 6.9/10
15. Lansky (2021) - IMDb rating: 6.2/10
16. American Crime Story (2016– ) - IMDb rating: 8.4/10
17. Candy (2022) - IMDb rating: 7.2/10
18. War Dogs (2016) - IMDb rating: 7.1/10
19. Monster (2003) - IMDb rating: 7.3/10
20. When They See Us (2019) - IMDb rating: 8.9/10
21. American Gangster (2007) - IMDb rating: 7.8
22. The Staircase (2022) - IMDb rating: 7.1/10
23. BlacKkKlansman (2018) - IMDb rating: 7.5/10
24. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) - IMDb rating: 7.5/10
25. Captain Phillips (2013) - IMDb rating: 7.8/10
26. The Good Nurse (2022) - IMDb rating: 6.8/10
27. Donnie Brasco (1997) - IMDb rating: 7.7/10
28. Black Mass (2015) - IMDb rating: 6.9/10
29. Star 80 (1983) - IMDb rating: 6.8/10
30. Dog Day Afternoon (1975) - IMDb rating: 8/10
31. Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey (2018 TV Movie) - IMDb rating: 7.2/10
32. The Act (2019) - IMDb rating: 7.9 /10
33. Lawless (2012) - IMDb rating: 7.2/10
34. Molly's Game (2017) - IMDb rating: 7.4/10
35. Public Enemies (2009) - IMDb rating: 7/10
36. Alpha Dog (2006) - IMDb rating: 6.9/10
37. Changeling (2008) - IMDb rating: 7.8/10
38. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019) - IMDb rating: 6.7/10
39. Serpico (1973) - IMDb rating: 7.7/10
40. Papillon (2017) - IMDb rating: 7.2/10
41. The Basketball Diaries (1995) - IMDb rating: 7.3 /10
42. Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020) - IMDb rating: 9.3/10
43. Foxcatcher (2014) - IMDb rating: 7/10
44. The Highwaymen (2019) - IMDb rating: 6.9/10
45. Boys Don't Cry (1999) - IMDb rating: 7.5/10
46. An American Crime (2007) - IMDb rating: 7.2/10
47. Heavenly Creatures (1994) - IMDb rating: 7.3/10
48. In the Name of the Father (1993) - IMDb rating: 8.1/10
49. Snowden (2016) - IMDb rating: 7.3/10
50. The Iceman (2012) - IMDb rating: 6.8/10
51. For Life (2020–2021) - IMDb rating: 7.7/10
52. Manhunt (II) (2017–2020) - IMDb rating: 8.1/10
53. The Danish Girl (2015) - IMDb rating: 7.1/10
54. The Old Man & the Gun (2018) - IMDb rating: 6.7/10
55. True History of the Kelly Gang (2019) - IMDb rating: 6/10
56. Just Mercy (2019) - IMDb rating: 7.6/10
57. Scoop (2023– ) - IMDb rating: 7.7/10
58. A Friend of the Family (2022) - IMDb rating: 7.3/10
59. Richard Jewell (2019) - IMDb rating: 7.5/10
60. Official Secrets (2019) - IMDb rating: 7.3 /10
61. Freedom Writers (2007) - IMDb rating: 7.6/10
62. Above Suspicion (2019) - IMDb rating: 5.7/10
63. Bully (2001) - IMDb rating: 6.9/10
64. The Report (2019) - IMDb rating: 7.2/10
65. Veerappan (2016) - IMDb rating: 5.3/10
66. A Confession (2019) - IMDb rating: 7.6/10
67. The Infiltrator (2016) - IMDb rating: 7/10
68. Bonnie and Clyde (1967) - IMDb rating: 7.7/10
69. The Frozen Ground (2013) - IMDb rating: 6.4/10
70. BMF (2021– ) - IMDb rating: 7.5/10
71. Capone (2020) - IMDb rating: 4.7 /10
72. Capote (2005) - IMDb rating: 7.3/10
73. Big Eyes (2014) - IMDb rating: 7/10
74. All the Money in the World (2017) - IMDb rating: 6.8/10
75. The Law According to Lidia Poët (2023– ) - IMDb rating: 7.4/10
76. Escape at Dannemora (2018) - IMDb rating: 7.9/10
77. True Story (2015) - IMDb rating: 6.3/10
78. Wise Guys (Realing in 2024) - IMDb rating: Not Rated
79. Escape from Pretoria (2020) - IMDb rating: 6.8/10
80. Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) - IMDb rating: 7.8/10
81. The Great Train Robbery (2013) - IMDb rating: 7.3/10
82. Georgetown (2019) - IMDb rating: 6.2/10
83. Aquarius (2015–2016) - IMDb rating: 7/10
84. Hollywoodland (2006) - IMDb rating: 6.5/10
85. Masterminds (2016) - IMDb rating: 5.8/10
86. Bernie (2011) - IMDb rating: 6.8/10
87. The Bling Ring (2013) - IMDb rating: 5.6/10
88. Stronger (2017) - IMDb rating: 6.9/10
89. City of Lies (2018) - IMDb rating: 6.5/10
90. Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005) - IMDb rating: 5.4/10
91. Argentina, 1985 (2022) - IMDb rating: 7.6/10
92. Gold (2016) - IMDb rating: 6.7/10
93. Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal (2012) - IMDb rating: 8.4/10
94. Evil Lives Here (2016– ) - IMDb rating: 8/10
95. The Duke (2020) - IMDb rating: 6.9/10
96. El Chapo (2017–2018) - IMDb rating: 7.8/10
97. The Snowtown Murders (2011) - IMDb rating: 6.6/10
98. Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018) - IMDb rating: 7.1/10
99. The Nurse (2023) - IMDb rating: 6.9/10
100. Kill the Irishman (2011) - IMDb rating: 7/10
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