The 5 Most Shocking Secrets Of The Betty Gore And Candy Montgomery Ax Murder Case—And Where Candy Is Now

The 1980 Wylie, Texas, ax murder of Betty Gore by her friend, Candace "Candy" Montgomery, remains one of the most sensational and disturbing true-crime cases in American history. The story of a seemingly idyllic suburban life—complete with church activities, shared childcare, and a secret, explosive affair—that culminated in 41 brutal ax blows continues to captivate the public, particularly with the recent release of multiple television miniseries like Hulu's *Candy* and HBO Max's *Love & Death*. As of December 2025, the case is still a major point of discussion, with new generations trying to comprehend how a respected housewife and churchgoer could be acquitted of such a horrific crime. The details of the murder and the subsequent trial, which hinged on a controversial self-defense claim, exposed the fragile façade of the Wylie community and the intense psychological drama hidden beneath the surface of two families: the Gores and the Montgomerys. This is an in-depth look at the biographies of the key figures and the most shocking elements of the case that led to a "not guilty" verdict.

The Lives of Betty Gore, Candy Montgomery, and Their Husbands

The lives of Betty Gore and Candy Montgomery were initially woven together by the fabric of their shared community at the First United Methodist Church of Lucas, Texas. Their daughters were best friends, and the two women often spent time together. The seemingly perfect suburban arrangement, however, masked a deep-seated unhappiness that would ultimately lead to tragedy.

• Betty Gore (Victim)
  • Full Name: Elizabeth "Betty" Gore (née Pomeroy)
  • Born: 1950 in Norwich, Kansas
  • Occupation: Fifth-grade teacher at R.C. Dodd Elementary School in Wylie.
  • Husband: Allan Gore (married 1970).
  • Children: Two daughters, Alisa and Bethany.
  • Key Details: Described as a loving mother but struggling with depression and a deteriorating marriage with Allan, who was often away on business.
• Candace "Candy" Montgomery (Accused)
  • Full Name: Candace "Candy" Lynn Montgomery (née Wheeler)
  • Born: November 15, 1949, in Longview, Texas.
  • Occupation: Housewife, active in the Methodist church, and a Sunday school teacher.
  • Husband: Pat Montgomery (engineer at Texas Instruments).
  • Children: Two children.
  • Key Details: Initiated an affair with Allan Gore in 1979, seeking excitement and emotional fulfillment outside her marriage.
• Allan Gore (Betty's Husband)
  • Role: Had an affair with Candy Montgomery for several months in 1979. He was the one who called the Wylie Police Department after he couldn't reach Betty on June 13, 1980.
  • Aftermath: Confessed the affair to police, which immediately made Candy the prime suspect.
• Pat Montgomery (Candy's Husband)
  • Role: Stood by Candy throughout the investigation and the highly publicized trial.
  • Aftermath: Divorced Candy in 1986, six years after her acquittal, and both he and Candy moved out of Wylie.

The Affair, the Confrontation, and the 41 Ax Blows

The tragic events were set in motion by a seemingly mundane suburban affair. Candy Montgomery, bored with her marriage, approached Allan Gore at a church volleyball game in 1978 and proposed a relationship. The affair began in 1979 and lasted for several months, with both parties eventually agreeing to end it as Betty and Allan worked to repair their marriage.

The Day of the Murder: June 13, 1980

On the morning of Friday, June 13, 1980, Candy Montgomery went to the Gore home on Dogwood Drive to pick up a swimsuit for Alisa, Betty’s daughter, who was staying at Candy's house. What happened next is the subject of intense debate and the core of the trial.

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• The Confrontation: Candy confessed to the police that Betty confronted her about the affair that morning. According to Candy’s testimony, Betty produced a three-foot wood-splitting ax from the garage and told Candy, "I don't want you to ever see Allan again."
• The Struggle: Candy claimed that Betty attacked her first. In the ensuing struggle, Candy managed to wrench the ax away from Betty. She testified that she struck Betty only in self-defense, fearful for her own life.
• The Brutality: Despite the self-defense claim, the physical evidence was damning: Betty Gore had been struck 41 times with the ax. The sheer brutality of the attack—more than half the blows were to the head—shocked the Wylie police, including Chief Royce Abbott, and the nation.

The Controversial Self-Defense Trial and the "Dissociative State"

Candy Montgomery was arrested and charged with murder. Her defense team, led by the charismatic lawyer Don Crowder and his associate Elaine Carpenter, mounted an audacious defense: not guilty by reason of self-defense. The trial, held at the Collin County Courthouse, became a media sensation, with journalists sensationalizing the details and public opinion largely against Candy.

Key Elements of the Defense Strategy

The defense needed to explain how a self-defense act could result in 41 ax wounds. Their primary argument rested on a psychological defense that introduced a key entity into the case:

• Hypnosis and Psychiatric Testimony: The defense brought in Dr. Fred Fason, a clinical hypnotherapist and psychiatrist. After placing Candy under hypnosis, Dr. Fason testified that the sight of Betty shushing her during the confrontation had triggered a repressed childhood trauma in Candy.
• The Dissociative State: Dr. Fason argued that this trigger caused Candy to enter a "dissociative state" (or "fugue state"), a psychological break where she was no longer fully aware of her actions. This, the defense argued, explained the overwhelming number of blows—it was a reaction to the trauma, not a premeditated act of murder.
• The Verdict: On October 29, 1980, after only a few hours of deliberation, the jury—comprised of nine women and three men—found Candy Montgomery Not Guilty of the murder of Betty Gore. The verdict shocked and outraged many, particularly those who felt the extreme violence of the crime contradicted the notion of simple self-defense.

Where is Candy Montgomery Now? The Aftermath and New Identity

Following the acquittal, the lives of everyone involved were irrevocably altered. The community of Wylie, Texas, was left reeling, with many neighbors openly calling Candy a murderer. The intense scrutiny and public outcry made it impossible for the Montgomery family to remain in town.

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Life After the Trial

The immediate aftermath saw Candy and Pat Montgomery move to Georgia. They attempted to rebuild their lives, but the strain proved too much, and they divorced in 1986. Candy took steps to completely disappear from the public eye, embracing a new identity to escape the notoriety of the 1980 murder.

• New Identity: Candy Montgomery changed her name back to her maiden name, Candace Wheeler.
• Current Life and Location: As of December 2025, Candace Wheeler is believed to be alive and is approximately 75 or 76 years old. She lives a quiet life in Georgia, far from the Dallas suburb where the tragedy occurred.
• Current Occupation: Reports indicate that Candace Wheeler works as a mental health worker or counselor. This detail is particularly striking and ironic, given the psychological defense that led to her acquittal decades earlier.
• Allan Gore’s Fate: Betty’s husband, Allan Gore, remarried three years after the murder and moved out of Wylie. He has also remained out of the public spotlight, seeking a quiet life away from the tragic events of June 13, 1980.

The story of Betty Gore and Candy Montgomery is a chilling reminder of how easily the veneer of suburban perfection can crack, revealing dark secrets and devastating consequences. Despite the passage of time and the not-guilty verdict, the 41 blows of the ax and the lingering question of justice continue to define the legacy of the Wylie ax murder case.