Betty Gore was a 30-year-old school teacher and mother of two who was brutally murdered with an ax in her home in Wylie, Texas, on June 13, 1980.
Her killer was her friend and neighbor, Candy Montgomery, who had an affair with Betty’s husband, Allan.
The crime scene was one of the most gruesome and shocking ever seen by the investigators and the public.
In this article, we will reveal some of the details of the Betty Gore crime scene and how it led to the arrest and trial of Candy Montgomery.
The Discovery of the Body
Betty Gore’s body was discovered by her neighbors, Lester and Billie Gayler, who had been asked by Allan Gore to check on his wife after he could not reach her by phone.
Allan was out of town on a business trip and had left his two daughters, Alisa and Bethany, with Candy Montgomery and her family.
Alisa was supposed to spend the night at the Montgomerys’ house, while Bethany was supposed to be picked up by Betty later that day.
When the Gaylers arrived at the Gore house, they found the front door locked and no sign of Betty or Bethany.
They knocked on the door and windows but got no response.
They decided to break into the house through a window and entered the utility room, where they saw a horrifying sight.
Betty Gore’s body was lying on the floor in a pool of blood, with an ax embedded in her head.
She had been struck 41 times with the ax, mostly on her face and head.
Her skull was shattered and her brain was exposed.
Her right arm was almost severed from her body. She was wearing a blue dress that was soaked with blood.
The Gaylers immediately called the police and reported the murder.
They also found Bethany in her crib in another room, unharmed but crying and covered in feces.
She had been left alone for about 13 hours since the murder.
The police arrived at the scene and secured it for investigation.
They also notified Allan Gore of his wife’s death and asked him to return to Wylie as soon as possible.
The Evidence and the Suspect
The police collected several pieces of evidence from the crime scene, such as:
- fingerprints
- blood samples
- hair samples
- fibers
- tire tracks
They also interviewed the neighbors and friends of the Gores.
The police learned about their marital problems and Candy Montgomery’s affair with Allan Gore.
They soon focused on Candy as their prime suspect and brought her in for questioning.
Candy initially denied any involvement in the murder and claimed that she had last seen Betty when she dropped off Alisa at her house around noon on June 13.
She said that she had gone back to her house and spent the rest of the day with her family.
She also said that she had no motive to kill Betty, as she had ended her affair with Allan months ago and remained friends with both of them.
However, under further interrogation, Candy changed her story and confessed to killing Betty in self-defense.
Candy said that Betty had confronted her about the affair and attacked her with an ax in the utility room.
She said that she managed to wrestle the ax away from Betty and hit her back in a panic.
She said that she did not remember how many times she hit Betty or what happened after that.
Candy said that she left the house in a daze and drove back to her house, where she washed off the blood from her clothes and body.
Candy was arrested and charged with murder.
Candy’s Trial
She pleaded not guilty by reason of self-defense at her trial, which began in October 1980.
Her defense team argued that she had acted in fear for her life and that Betty had been mentally unstable due to postpartum depression and marital stress.
They also presented evidence that Candy had passed a polygraph test before the trial, indicating that she was telling the truth about what happened.
The prosecution argued that Candy had killed Betty out of jealousy and resentment, as she wanted Allan for herself.
They also argued that Candy’s self-defense claim was implausible, as she could have escaped or called for help instead of hitting Betty 41 times with an ax.
They also presented evidence that Candy had lied about several details of her story, such as:
- the time of the murder
- the location of the ax
- the presence of a third person at the scene.
The Verdict and the Aftermath
After eight days of testimony and deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on October 30, 1980.
The verdict shocked many people who followed the case, especially Betty’s family and friends.
Some people protested outside the courthouse and chanted “Murderer! Murderer!” at Candy as she left.
Candy moved away from Wylie with her husband and children shortly after the trial.
She divorced her husband in 1987 and remarried twice.
She changed her name several times and lived in different states, such as Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama.
Candy reportedly worked as a real estate agent and a nurse.
She has never spoken publicly about the case since the trial.
Betty’s parents took custody of her daughters and raised them in Kansas.
They also sued Candy for wrongful death, but the case was dismissed due to a lack of evidence.
Betty’s daughters have also remained silent about the case and their mother’s death.
Conclusion
The Betty Gore crime scene was one of the most gruesome and shocking in Texas history.
It revealed a dark and twisted story of adultery, jealousy, and violence that ended with the death of a young mother and the acquittal of her killer.
The case has inspired several books, documentaries, and TV shows, such as Hulu’s Candy and HBO Max’s Love & Death.
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