Who is Candy Montgomery? HBO Max, Hulu to revisit the North Texan in new crime dramas
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Everything to know about ‘Candy’ on Hulu
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Two streaming services will revisit the story of Candace “Candy” Montgomery, a Dallas-area woman who was accused of killing her friend Betty Gore with an ax in 1980.
Hulu’s crime drama “Candy” will premiere Monday on the streaming platform and will be a five-night event. The series stars Jessica Biel as Montgomery and Melanie Lynskey as Gore.
HBO Max also has its crime drama series “Love and Death” in the works, with a cast that includes Elizabeth Olsen and Dallas native Jesse Plemons.
It’s been nearly 42 years since the killing. Here’s what to know about the crime.
Who is Candy Montgomery?
Montgomery was 30 at the time of the killing. She lived in Fairview with her husband, Pat Montgomery, a Texas Instruments engineer, and their two children.
Following the killing and subsequent trial, Montgomery moved out of state, where she still lives, according to a report by the Dallas Morning News.
Who was Betty Gore?
Gore, 30, was a school teacher and friends with Montgomery. The two had met through church and they both sang in the same choir. Gore had two children, the youngest a year old, at the time of her death. Montgomery had an affair with Gore’s husband, Allan, a year before the killing.
On June 13, 1980, a Friday, Montgomery stopped by Gore’s Wylie home to pick up a swimsuit for Gore’s daughter, who was set to spend the day with Montgomery. While at the house, Gore confronted Montgomery about the affair. Later that day, she was found dead in a blood-spattered utility room with 41 ax wounds.
Did Candy Montgomery kill Betty Gore?
After she was accused of the June 13 murder, Montgomery turned herself in to Collin County sheriff’s deputies and was placed under a $100,000 bond. Four months after the killing, an eight-day trial was held in McKinney to determine if Montgomery had murdered Gore.
Montgomery pleaded self-defense and her lawyer argued that Gore had grabbed a 3-foot ax from the garage and approached Montgomery with it. Montgomery’s lawyer also brought in a Houston psychiatrist who said Montgomery had suffered from a “dissociative reaction” and was unaware of how many times she struck Gore.
A jury acquitted Montgomery of murder charges on Oct. 29, 1980. One juror said the number of times Gore was struck had no bearing on their verdict, which accepted the self-defense claim.
Where can I watch ‘Candy’ and ‘Love and Death’?
“Candy” will premiere on Hulu on Monday, May 9. There will be five episodes of the crime drama in total.
The HBO Max limited series “Love and Death” is set to stream this year as well, although a premiere date has not been announced.
This story was originally published May 6, 2022 at 2:44 PM.
