Love & Death: Who Killed Betty Gore? Story and Series Details, steaming info

The 1980 killing of Betty Gore is a disturbing true crime story that has inspired multiple TV shows. The HBO Max series Love & Death, which arrived on Netflix in late 2025, offers one of the latest dramatizations. The series follows Candy Montgomery, a Texas housewife accused of murdering her friend after an affair with Betty’s husband. This article looks at the facts of the case and how the series presents them.

The True Crime Story Behind the Series

The real events took place in the small community of Wylie, Texas. In 1980, Betty Gore was found dead in the utility room of her home. She had been struck 41 times with a wood-splitting axe.

The case centered on Candy Montgomery, a 30-year-old housewife, mother, and church member who was friends with Betty. Candy had been having a secret affair with Betty’s husband, Allan Gore. The affair reportedly began in late 1978 and continued for over a year before Allan ended it to focus on his marriage.

On June 13, 1980, while Allan was on a business trip, Candy went to the Gore home. According to Candy’s later testimony, Betty confronted her about the affair. Candy said the conversation turned physical when Betty attacked her with an axe. Candy claimed she took the axe during a struggle and fought back in self-defense, striking Betty repeatedly.

The crime scene was discovered by neighbors after Allan grew worried that he could not reach his wife. They found Betty’s body and her infant daughter, Bethany, who was unharmed but had been alone for hours.

How “Love & Death” Presents the Killing

The HBO Max series Love & Death is based on the 1984 book Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs and related Texas Monthly articles. It was created by David E. Kelley. The show presents the story largely from Candy Montgomery’s perspective, following her account of what happened that day.

Elizabeth Olsen, who plays Candy, discussed her approach: “I really have a respect for someone who draws such a hard line after such a national story to have never done an interview after the fact. Besides participating in Evidence of Love, she hasn’t done a single interview since the trial. I can appreciate why someone would want their anonymity and privacy.”

The series shows the violent confrontation in graphic detail through flashbacks as Candy testifies in court. It depicts Candy’s claim that Betty swung the axe first, injuring Candy’s toe, and that Candy then took the weapon and fought back. The show also includes a controversial element not found in trial records: it suggests a sound Betty made during the fight triggered a traumatic childhood memory for Candy, sending her into a dissociative state.

Unlike some other adaptations, Love & Death chooses not to heavily emphasize coincidental details from the real case, such as the fact the murder occurred on Friday the 13th or that a newspaper ad for the film The Shining was found open at the scene.

The Aftermath and Trial

Candy Montgomery was charged with first-degree murder. Her trial began in October 1980. Her defense team, led by attorney Don Crowder, argued she acted in self-defense.

A key part of the defense involved testimony from psychiatrist Dr. Fred Fason. He stated that under hypnosis, Candy recalled details of the fight and that she entered a dissociative state due to triggered childhood trauma, which explained the extreme number of blows.

The jury, consisting of nine women and three men, deliberated for about three hours. They found Candy Montgomery not guilty. The acquittal on October 30, 1980, was controversial. As Candy left the courthouse, some in the crowd chanted “Murderer!”.

Betty Gore’s father, Bob Pomeroy, spoke after the verdict:

“As far as I’m concerned, justice will be served. She has to live with it … We don’t know what happened and we never will know what happened.”

Following the trial, Candy Montgomery and her family moved out of Texas. Betty and Allan Gore’s two daughters were raised by Betty’s parents in Kansas.

Where to Watch and Series Details

Love & Death is a seven-episode limited series. It first premiered on HBO Max in April 2023, with the first three episodes releasing at once. In December 2025, the series became available for streaming on Netflix, where it quickly entered the platform’s Top 10 list.

The series features a notable cast:

• Elizabeth Olsen as Candy Montgomery
• Jesse Plemons as Allan Gore
• Lily Rabe as Betty Gore
• Patrick Fugit as Pat Montgomery
• Tom Pelphrey as defense attorney Don Crowder

Elizabeth Olsen’s performance received significant praise and earned her a Golden Globe nomination.

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