45 Years Later: The Unseen Lives Of Betty Gore's Family After The Shocking Axe Murder

The enduring, chilling true crime story of Betty Gore—a beloved fifth-grade teacher in Wylie, Texas—has once again captured public attention, nearly 45 years after her brutal death. As of December 12, 2025, the case remains a subject of intense fascination, largely due to recent dramatic adaptations like the Hulu series Candy and the HBO Max series Love & Death.

Betty Gore’s life was tragically cut short on a Friday the 13th in June 1980, a day that would forever link her name to one of the most sensational murder cases in American history. Her death, at the hands of her friend and church acquaintance Candace "Candy" Montgomery, sparked a trial that became a national spectacle, ultimately concluding with a shocking acquittal that continues to divide opinion today.

The Full Tragedy: Betty Gore's Biography and Final Day

Betty Gore, born in 1950, grew up in Norwich, Kansas, alongside her two brothers, Ron and Richard.

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She was known as a dedicated and well-liked figure in her community, working as a fifth-grade teacher at R.C. Dodd Middle School.

Betty was married to Allan Gore, and the couple had two daughters, Alisa (who now goes by Lisa) and Bethany.

Her life in Wylie, Texas, was seemingly typical of the suburban 1970s, focused on family, church activities, and teaching.

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However, the normalcy of their lives was shattered when Betty discovered her husband, Allan Gore, had been having an affair with their friend, Candy Montgomery.

The affair had begun in 1978 and ended in 1979, but the emotional fallout lingered, especially after the birth of Betty's second daughter, Bethany, in July 1979, which Allan hoped would bring him and Betty closer.

The Confrontation and the Axe

The tragic events unfolded on Friday, June 13, 1980, when Candy Montgomery visited the Gore home to pick up a swimsuit for Alisa.

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During the visit, Betty confronted Candy about the affair.

According to Candy Montgomery's later testimony, the confrontation escalated into a physical struggle in the utility room after Betty retrieved a three-foot axe.

Candy claimed that she wrestled the axe away from Betty and then struck her in self-defense.

The violence was extreme: Betty Gore was struck 41 times with the axe.

Allan Gore, who was away on a business trip, became concerned when he couldn't reach his wife and eventually called neighbors to check on her, leading to the discovery of Betty's body.

The Shocking Trial and Self-Defense Claim

The case against Candy Montgomery, a seemingly ordinary housewife and church member, quickly drew national attention.

The Collin County trial was a media circus, focusing heavily on the lurid details of the affair and the brutality of the killing.

Montgomery's defense team, led by Don Crowder, did not dispute that she killed Betty Gore.

Instead, they mounted a controversial and successful self-defense argument, claiming that Betty was the initial aggressor.

A key part of the defense involved a psychiatrist, Dr. Fason, who testified that Candy suffered a "dissociative reaction" after Betty shushed her during the confrontation, triggering a childhood trauma related to her mother.

This testimony was used to explain the excessive number of blows.

On October 30, 1980, the jury delivered a stunning verdict: Not Guilty.

Candy Montgomery was acquitted of Betty Gore's murder, a decision that remains one of the most debated verdicts in true crime history.

Where Are Allan Gore and Betty's Daughters Today?

In the aftermath of the trial, the surviving members of the Gore family attempted to rebuild their lives away from the glare of the Texas spotlight.

The two daughters, Alisa and Bethany, were moved to Kansas to live with Betty's parents, Robert and Bertha.

Allan Gore, Betty's husband and Candy's former lover, remarried a year after the trial, but that marriage ended in divorce.

He has since moved on and is now retired.

• Allan Gore Today: According to his publicly available information, Allan Gore is currently retired and resides in Sarasota, Florida. He has been in a domestic partnership since 2016.

Betty and Allan's daughters have grown up and established their own successful lives, though they have maintained a private distance from the case's continued media attention.

• Alisa (Lisa) Harder: Betty's eldest daughter, Alisa (who now goes by Lisa), settled in Kansas. She is married to Jonn Harder and they have two sons, Sam and Jacob.
• Bethany Mickey: The younger daughter, Bethany, is now a principal in Las Vegas, Nevada. She and her husband, Chad, have four children, one of whom is a daughter named Betty, a touching tribute to her late mother.

The family's decision to move and live privately reflects a desire to escape the notoriety of the Wylie, Texas axe murder.

The recent dramatizations of the case in Candy and Love & Death have brought the tragedy back into the public consciousness, but the Gore family has largely remained silent, choosing to honor Betty's memory and their own peace over participating in the renewed media frenzy.

Meanwhile, Candy Montgomery, who was acquitted, relocated to Georgia shortly after the trial, changed her name, and reportedly works as a therapist today.

The story of Betty Gore is a haunting reminder of how a seemingly perfect suburban life can be destroyed by betrayal, violence, and a legal verdict that left a community—and the nation—in stunned disbelief. Her legacy lives on not just in the true crime annals, but in the quiet, successful lives of the daughters she left behind.