Podcast Summary: Serialously with Annie Elise Episode 352: She Said it Was Self Defense: The Axe Murder That Shocked Suburbia | Candy Montgomery Release Date: January 1, 2026

Overview

In this episode, host Annie Elise revisits the infamous 1980 axe murder of Betty Gore by Candy Montgomery, a chilling case of suburban betrayal that shocked the small town of Wylie, Texas. Prompted by renewed interest due to dramatizations on HBO Max ("Love and Death") and Hulu ("Candy"), Annie does a deep dive into the truth behind the headlines, separating fact from TV fiction with her signature engaging and conversational style.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: A Quiet Community Shattered

• Annie recaps the media coverage and shockwaves that followed the murder, underscoring the horror in a close-knit, otherwise peaceful Texas suburb.
• The community’s fear and disbelief are captured:
  • “You can imagine whatever you think to be the very worst possible thing you could see in the middle of the night and then multiply that by about 6, and maybe you’d have it.” – Local Justice of the Peace (07:43)

2. The Main Players: Candy Montgomery & Betty Gore

• Candy: Outwardly the perfect suburban mom, active in the church, seen as beloved and unassuming.
• Betty: A kind, faith-oriented schoolteacher, but depicted as withdrawn and struggling, especially due to postpartum depression and her husband Alan’s frequent absences.
• Annie explores both women’s backgrounds, home lives, and social images, highlighting the contradiction between appearances and hidden turmoil.
  • “[Candy] was juggling her responsibilities as a loving wife, a doting mother... Literally the definition of the all American perfect mother.” (08:41)

3. Under the Surface: Marital Strains and Temptations

• Candy, feeling restless in her marriage to Pat, seeks excitement and validation.
• Betty, battling loneliness and possible depression, clings to her husband Alan, whose job keeps him frequently away.
• Annie draws contrasts between their marriages and personalities, questioning dramatizations vs. reality in the TV series.

4. The Affair: Candy & Alan

• Candy shockingly and directly proposes an affair with Alan after a church volleyball game:
  • “I’ve been thinking about you a lot, and it’s really bothering me… I’m very attracted to you and I’m tired of thinking about it.” (Direct quote from Texas Monthly cited at 20:52)
• The affair is methodically planned–with a pros and cons list, strict rules (it must remain purely physical, meetings only in Dallas motel rooms, all cash payments).
• The affair lasts from December 1978 to October 1979, deeply affecting both parties.
  • Notably, Candy throws Betty a baby shower during this period, while sleeping with her husband.
  • “The ultimate betrayal... that is how crazy and twisted this becomes.” (37:51)

5. The Breaking Point: Ending the Affair

• Alan and Betty attend a church marriage retreat, seemingly rekindling their bond.
• Candy’s emotional state deteriorates; she feels adrift and excluded after the affair ends.
• Pat, Candy’s husband, discovers the affair through a card but blames himself, not Candy.
• For almost a year, the affair remains unknown to Betty.

6. The Crime: Betty’s Murder

• On June 13, 1980, Candy visits Betty to pick up a swimsuit for their daughters’ sleepover.
• Betty is later found dead, brutally struck 41 times with an axe; the ferocity of the attack and the grim crime scene traumatize the town.
  • “Betty was on the ground, literally chopped up by an axe. She suffered a total of 41 blows… Her face was completely unrecognizable.” (48:07)
• Annie highlights: The baby left alone; the cleaning of evidence; Candy’s odd subsequent normalcy.

7. Investigation & Candy’s Arrest

• Blood evidence, a footprint, and a suspiciously calm Candy lead investigators to focus on her.
• Alan initially lies about the affair but later confesses to police, implicating Candy.
• Candy is arrested but makes bail, maintaining her innocence in public and within her family and circle.

8. The Trial: Self-Defense or Rage?

• Candy claims Betty confronted her about the affair, leading to a violent struggle over an axe.
• Controversial psychiatric testimony posits Candy’s “disassociative event,” suggesting she killed Betty in a blind, unconscious rage, triggered by Betty’s “shushing” gesture—allegedly echoing Candy’s traumatic childhood.
  • “The psychiatrist said Candy had undergone a disassociative event... resulting in Candy becoming unaware of her actions and being consumed by a blind rage.” (57:10)
• Despite 41 axe blows, the jury acquits Candy Montgomery of murder after just a few hours of deliberation.
  • “After four and a half hours of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Candy was acquitted of murder and once again became a free woman.” (59:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Do you ever watch something... and then you wonder to yourself, what’s the real story here? What are the real events?” (05:30)
• “She [Candy] threw a baby shower for Betty while sleeping with her husband. It is the ultimate betrayal.” (37:51)
• “Candy, who was only 30 years old at the time, just like Betty, ended up going to trial in October of 1980 for Betty’s murder.” (55:25)
• “I have to agree with the police that 41 times with an axe is the most outrageous claim of self defense that I have ever heard.” (63:25)
• “[Candy] ended up working as a mental health therapist to teenagers suffering from depression… So was this really an isolated incident and was this self defense?” (62:56)
• “If it was truly a case of self defense, why not call the police after? Why go home and try to clean it up?” (64:02)
• “I don’t necessarily see Candy as a brutal axe murderer that just went over to kill Betty randomly, but the evidence sure seems to seem like she was.” (66:40)

Important Timestamps

• 07:43: Small-town community reactions—shock, fear, and closure of ranks.
• 08:41 – 13:30: Candy and Betty’s backgrounds; marital dynamics.
• 20:52: The genesis of the affair and Candy’s bold proposition.
• 37:51: Candy throws Betty a baby shower while sleeping with Allan.
• 45:38 – 48:07: Discovery of Betty’s body and ensuing horror.
• 54:30 – 55:25: Candy surrenders, trial details, jury bias concerns.
• 57:10: Psychiatric defense and “self-defense” argument.
• 62:56 – 66:40: Aftermath for both families; Candy’s new life; Annie’s theories and questions about the verdict.

Analysis: Fact vs. Dramatization

Annie continually references the difference between real events and televised renditions:

• Both “Candy” (Hulu) and “Love and Death” (HBO Max) dramatize the story, omitting and fabricating details for effect.
• Annie urges listeners to understand the truth versus what’s portrayed on screen, particularly regarding personal relationships and the circumstances of Betty’s death.

Final Reflections & Audience Questions

• Annie expresses her disbelief about the self-defense verdict and the jury’s reasoning, especially given the extent of Betty’s injuries.
• She debates the plausibility of both women’s actions and motives, raising unanswered questions about trauma, rage, and the aftermath for all involved.
• Engagement: Annie encourages listeners to vote in a Spotify poll: “Do you think this was self defense or something more sinister?”
• “Sometimes real life truly is stranger than fiction. And this is absolutely one of those cases.” (67:22)

Conclusion

This episode delivers a thorough, nuanced look at the Candy Montgomery case, combining Annie’s signature candid storytelling with in-depth research and insight, separating TV drama from harrowing, real-life tragedy. The episode challenges listeners to consider the gray areas between victim and perpetrator, and how justice, reputation, and truth interact in a tight-knit community.

For further discussion and episode updates, find Annie Elise on Instagram at @_annealise.