Is Candy Montgomery still alive?

Candy Montgomery is a name and true crime case not soon forgotten, as it’s not every day someone murders their best friend with an axe. Now, with the recent resurgence of Candy’s story through the media, many people are wondering — where is she now?

On June 13th, 1980 a Texas mother of two, Betty Gore, was found dead in her home. She had been killed with an axe, with her young child just down the hall. The town assumed the murder had to be the work of a madman, some drifter who had wandered into town and committed the crime. No one would have believed the true killer was so close to home.

How close to home? Candy Montgomery was a neighbor, fellow church member, and not to mention a close friend of the victim. Oh, and one more thing, she was also sleeping with Betty Gore’s husband, Allan. Here are all the dirty details behind the true crime case of Candy Montgomery, and where she is today.

Who is Candy Montgomery?

Candy Montgomery was a mild-mannered Texas housewife who harbored some very dark secrets. Not only was she having an illicit affair with the husband of a friend and fellow church member, she ultimately was responsible for that friend’s untimely death. On June 13th, 1980 Candy Montgomery took an axe and hit her friend, Betty Gore with it 41 times. She then calmly took a shower, cleaned up some of the scene, and left the home, returning to church and leaving Betty’s baby just down the hall.

The level of violence and depravity was one few had witnessed, including the investigators who arrived on the scene. In fact, the murder was so gruesome, and as it took place on Friday the 13th, they initially thought the crime was a copycat based on the movie The Shining.

It was a true crime case that rocked the quiet Texas town of Wylie, and sent shockwaves that continue to this day. In fact, although the case took place back in 1980, two dramatic adaptations of the story appeared in 2023; HBO Max created a series titled Love & Death starring Elizabeth Olsen as Candy Montgomery, and Hulu created its own version, titled Candy, starring Jessica Biel. (Check out which one we thought did the better job here.)

Candy’s trial was well publicized, as it featured the then-still controversial method of hypnosis to understand exactly what happened on that June morning in the Gore home. Under hypnosis, Candy claimed it was self-defense, that Betty Gore had found out about the affair and come at her with the axe. It was also revealed that much of the rage behind the killing was actually aimed at Candy’s mother, as a result of a childhood incident.

While some thought it was “junk science,” the jury seemed to believe the story, and returned a verdict of “not guilty.” Candy Montgomery, who had hacked her friend Betty Gore 41 times with an axe, was free to leave. So where is she now?

Is Candy Montgomery still alive?

Candy Montgomery and her family moved to Georgia following the trial, in an attempt to escape the unyielding media attention. Following the trial, she told reporters that she couldn’t wait to “get all this behind me and be normal again.”

Ultimately she and her husband Pat would get divorced, although they stayed together for a few years following the move. Candy is still alive, and now goes by her maiden name of Wheeler, most likely to remain in some amount of anonymity. Also, according to Elle, Candy remains in Georgia, working as —wait for it — a mental health counselor.

According to StyleCaster, Jessica Biel revealed that they had tried to reach out to a representative of Candy’s to see if she was interested in providing comment or feedback on the upcoming series, but that she was “not interested.” Biel went on to say that she did however speak with Candy’s attorney, Robert Udashan, for inspiration for the role. If Candy herself has thoughts on all the attention her story is currently receiving, she isn’t saying.

Candy Montgomery is a name that will bring recognition for years to come. It is not a crime easily forgotten, and with so much renewed interest and attention on the story, that is not likely to change. While Candy Montgomery (or Wheeler) may be trying to stay out of the spotlight, her story is still center stage.