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We’ve seen a lot of true crime series in our time. From binge-able docuseries to dramatized interpretations of real-life events, we’ve been left in total shock by the latest batch of true crime TV shows out there. But nothing could’ve prepared us for Hulu’s latest limited series Candy. Starring Jessica Biel and Melanie Lynskey as the real-life Candy Montgomery and Betty Gore, Candy features shocking twists and turns we didn’t see coming, and wraps up with an ending that will leave viewers totally blown away — and it’s all based on horrific, but factual, events.
Candy takes audiences all the way back to 1978 Texas, where Betty and Candy are two unsuspecting suburban wives who go to church, attend community events, and more. But once Candy begins having an affair with Betty’s husband, Allan (played by Pablo Schreiber in the mini-series) everything changes.
This is basically where Candy starts to unfold, recounting the horrifying, true events that came afterward. From Betty and Candy’s final confrontation to the details of Candy’s trial, a story like this has to be seen to be believed. Years after the events, authors John Bloom and Jim Atkinson even recalled the unbelievable story in the aptly named Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs. The book has since inspired the new Hulu series. How can a story like this even be true? Well, sometimes true (crime) is a lot stranger than fiction. As eager audiences dive into each new episode on Hulu, learn more about the true story that inspired the show.
Warning: spoilers ahead!
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Who Is Candy Montgomery?
Image Credit: HULU. Candy Montgomery was just your average Dallas city suburb housewife, mom of two, and choir member at her local Methodist church. Everything about Candy’s life was average, until she decided to take her marital unhappiness into her own hands and start an affair with a man named Allan Gore. In the late 1970s, Candy and Allan began a very, very carefully planned extramarital affair after getting closer on a local volleyball team, per Texas Monthly, even listing out pros and cons on a whiteboard together and developing a list of shared rules before they first made contact.
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Who Was Betty Gore?
Image Credit: HULU. Betty Gore was the unsuspecting wife of Allan: a school teacher and mom who dearly loved her husband, and struggled with being apart from him. Betty became pregnant with another child shortly before Allan and Candy’s affair began, and the couple didn’t reconnect until they entered a program called Marriage Encounter after their child was born, as Betty struggled with feeling sexually rejected by her husband. The Gores had a turning point in Marriage Encounter, and Allan broke things off with Candy shortly thereafter.
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What Happened Between The Two Women?
Image Credit: HULU. On June 13, 1980, Candy went over to the Gore family home to grab Allan’s daughter’s swimsuit for a sleepover she was having with one of Candy’s daughters. Betty then asked Candy if she’d had an affair with Allan, per Candy’s later testimony in court. Candy says she denied the allegation, but after she was pressed by Betty, she told the truth. Candy then claimed that Betty went to the garage and grabbed an ax, allegedly threatening to kill Candy. The altercation led into the Gore home and washroom, where Betty’s body was found later, having sustained roughly 40 blows from an ax.
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When Was Candy Arrested?
Image Credit: HULU. Based on evidence found at the scene, including a shoeprint, investigators began looking for potential suspects. Candy revealed she was the last person to see Betty alive, making her a prime target for the investigation. On June 27, 1980, an arrest warrant for Candy was granted. She was booked and brought into custody, awaiting a trial that would shock the Wylie, TX, community.
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What Happened At Her Trial?
Image Credit: HULU. During her trial, Candy argued she killed Betty in self-defense. Candy also cited a dissociative reaction that was triggered during her confrontation with Betty, which led her to not even realize what she was doing when she began attacking Betty. The jury reached a unanimous decision within hours after closing arguments.
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Where is Candy Now?
Image Credit: HULU. Candy was found not guilty of Betty’s murder by reason of self-defense. Juror Alice Doherty Rowley said that, during deliberations, the jury didn’t even consider the fact that Betty had been struck more than 40 times by an ax, per the Dallas Morning News. A few months following the trial, Candy and her family moved away from Wylie, TX, to Georgia. Candy and her husband divorced not long after. It’s been reported that Candy has since changed her last name.
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