The love and death true story revolves around Candy Montgomery, a Texas housewife whose affair with church friend Allan Gore led to the brutal 1980 axe killing of his wife, Betty Gore. This infamous case, detailed in articles from Texas Monthly and the book Evidence of Love, inspired HBO Max’s 2023 miniseries Love & Death, featuring Elizabeth Olsen in the role of Candy and Lily Rabe as Betty.
Origins of the Love and Death True Story
In the late 1970s, Candy Montgomery lived what appeared to be an idyllic suburban life in Wylie, Texas, with husband Pat and their two children. Attending the Methodist Church of Lucas, she befriended Betty Gore, a teacher and mother married to Allan. Beneath the surface, Candy found her marriage dull and sought excitement, sparking an affair with Allan after a church volleyball collision in 1978.
The couple set strict rules—no emotional attachment—and met discreetly for months, even after Betty gave birth to their second daughter, Bethany, in July 1979. Tensions rose as Betty grew suspicious, and Allan eventually ended the affair to salvage his marriage. On June 13, 1980—Friday the 13th—Candy visited the Gore home to return daughter Alisa after a swim lesson, setting the stage for tragedy in this love and death true story.
The Horrific Murder in the Love and Death True Story
Allan, away on business, couldn’t reach Betty and asked neighbors to check. They discovered her body in the utility room, struck 41 times with an axe—many blows after she was unconscious—while infant Bethany cried unharmed in her crib. Candy, the last to see Betty alive, initially reassured Allan before police found a bloody footprint matching her sandals, which she later destroyed.
Questioned repeatedly, Candy’s alibi cracked when Allan confessed the affair, providing motive. She surrendered on June 26, 1980, charged with murder but supported by her church. Lawyer Don Crowder used hypnosis to uncover repressed memories: Candy claimed Betty confronted her about the affair, attacked with the axe, and in self-defense, Candy wrestled it away, striking until exhausted.
Trial and Verdict in the Love and Death True Story
During her October 1980 trial, Candy testified to the violent struggle, supported by hypnotist Dr. Fred Fason linking it to childhood trauma. Jurors acquitted her after deliberating just three hours, accepting self-defense despite the axe wounds’ ferocity. The verdict stunned the community, splitting churchgoers and fueling national fascination with this love and death true story.
Creator David E. Kelley modified the narrative for Love & Death, utilizing the reports by Bloom and Atkinson. Premiering April 2023 on HBO Max (now Netflix from December 1, 2025), it captures the affair’s escalation, murder, and trial’s sensationalism.
Aftermath and Whereabouts Today
Post-acquittal, Candy and Pat divorced after moving to Georgia, where she became a licensed counselor, staying private. Betty’s daughters, Alisa and Bethany, were raised by her parents in Kansas. Allan remarried, and the Gores’ family endured lasting pain. The case inspired prior projects like Candy (2022), cementing its place in true crime lore.
The love and death true story endures for its mix of suburban normalcy, forbidden passion, and courtroom drama, questioning betrayal, rage, and justice. Stream the series to relive this gripping Texas tale that still captivates.