In real life, it can be a bit mundane to be a stay-at-home spouse. And so, it’s understandable that a 1980s housewife might seek a little excitement to shake up the routine. However, it becomes less understandable when said housewife solves that issue by murdering her neighbor/friend with an axe. That aside, it does make a creepy and fascinating premise in Hulu’s new series, Candy. The series premiered on Hulu on May 9th, 2022, and is the latest true crime drama to captivate audiences.
Jessica Biel takes on the role of Candy Montgomery and offers a fantastic performance. Complementing her are Melanie Lynskey as Betty Gore, Pablo Schreiber as Allan Gore, and Timothy Simons as Pat Montgomery. In the series, viewers attempt to wrap their minds around how an innocuous suburban housewife, Candy, murdered her best friend and neighbor, Betty.
Candy is a series that truly capitalizes on the drama, while also exploring the crime. As Candy stands accused, the series goes back in time to find Candy’s motives. What led to the moment when Candy took a break from her church activities one day to murder her friend? Candy dives full force into this deeply dark and disturbing tale of friendship, betrayal, and murder.
Is Candy based on a true story?
Candy is based on the tragic true story of the murder of Betty Gore. On June 13th, 1980, Allan Gore was on a business trip and became concerned when he couldn’t get a hold of his wife. He called his next-door neighbor, Candy Montgomery, who was babysitting his older daughter. She assured him that Betty was fine, but Allan then sent a different neighbor to check on Betty. When the neighbor went into the house, Gore’s baby daughter was wailing in her crib. Down the hall, Betty’s body was discovered. She had been brutally murdered—having been struck with an axe 41 times. Even more shocking than her death was the accused murderer—Betty’s own friend and neighbor, Candy.
Candy’s true story, explained
Candy was born as Candace Wheeler in 1950s Kansas. As a young woman, she temporarily struck out on her own and worked as a secretary, but always dreamed of being a wife and mother. Her dream came true in 1970 when she married her husband, Pat Montgomery. Pat was an engineer who made decent money, allowing them to move into their dream home in Wylie, TX, and to support their two children, a son and daughter. On the surface, Candy was a devoted wife, loving mother, and a staple in the community.
However, Candy was not happy. She was bored, she was unfulfilled, and she longed for the kind of excitement her marriage couldn’t give her. She began to fantasize about having an extramarital affair. While at a church volleyball game, Allan Gore, Bett’s husband, caught her eye. She quickly approached him and questioned if he wanted to start an affair. Allan, a married father of two, was stunned, but he quickly accepted the offer.
The fact that she was having an affair with Allan didn’t stop Candy from continuing to be close friends with Allan’s wife, Betty. Meanwhile, Betty and Allan had their own issues. Betty, a teacher, was facing many of the same trials as Candy. She was depressed and anxious. Her marriage was failing and she may have been suffering from postpartum depression, which wasn’t as widely known back then. Hence, Allan and Candy began their affair in December of 1978 and it continued until October 1979. Reportedly, it was a mutual decision to end the affair and refocus on their own marriages and families.
Why did Candy murder Betty?
After the murder occurred, investigators quickly honed in on Candy. When Allan admitted to his past affair with her, she became the prime suspect and was charged with Betty’s murder. In her testimony, Candy claimed her actions were done in self-defense. While babysitting the Gore’s older daughter, Candy had decided to stop by Betty’s house on a quick errand. Once there, she claimed that Betty confronted her about her affair with Allan.
She further claimed that she had apologized and told Betty the affair was long over, but Betty became enraged and tried to attack her with an axe. Candy managed to wrestle the axe away from Betty and then turned on her. In a rage, she hit Betty with the axe at least 41 times. Afterward, she showered in the Gore’s house to wash the blood off her. Then, she left the home, and Gore’s baby daughter crying, unattended in her crib, to partake in church activities for the day.
Where is Candy now?
Shockingly, Candy served no jail time for the murder of Betty. The jury accepted her self-defense story and she was ruled not guilty. This was largely a result of Texas’ Stand Your Ground law, a law that states individuals have the right to use deadly force if adequately threatened. Candy and Pat moved away from Texas after her trial, and ultimately divorced several years later. Today, ironically, Candy works as a mental health counselor with her daughter, Jenny. As for Allan, he remarried between Betty’s death and Candy’s trial. However, he lost custody of both of his daughters to his in-laws.
Candy’s acquittal for murder definitely makes her case controversial. While she claimed self-defense, there were holes in her testimony. Why did she attack Betty after she had already succeeded in taking the axe from her and diminishing the threat? Why did she feign innocence and attempt to cover her tracks after murdering Betty? Doesn’t 41 blows go far beyond reasonable force utilized in self-defense? Eerily, there also wasn’t much evidence that Betty knew about the affair. In the 7-months since the affair had ended, Betty had never confronted Allan or given him any indication of knowing.
Ultimately, only Candy really knows what happened that day. However, the controversial details of her case definitely make it an intriguing one for TV adaptions. Hulu’s Candy is more than just a rehashing of a true crime case. It’s an exploration of American women and their history of suppression which can lead to overwhelming loneliness and sadness. It’s also a discussion on marriage, affairs, motherhood, and what constitutes self-defense.
(featured image: Hulu)
