Candy Montgomery: A Sudden Snap or a Calculated Act?

Killer Psyche

Wondery | Treefort Media

True Crime, Exhibit C

4.6 • 4.2K Ratings

🗓️ 13 May 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Retired FBI agent and criminal profiler Candice DeLong dives into the controversial case of Candy Montgomery. In 1980, Candy was accused of committing the brutal axe slaying of her close friend, Betty Gore, following an affair she had with Betty’s husband. She confessed to the crime…so why was she ultimately found not guilty? Candice explores how an unconventional psychological assessment became the hallmark of Candy’s defense, and what kind of social and psychological factors may have contributed to the jury’s decision.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	What drives someone to commit the unthinkable?
0:03.4	With Wondery Plus, you'll get early access,
0:06.3	exclusive episodes that go further into the criminal mind,
0:10.0	and zero ads.
0:11.8	Start your free trial today of Wondery Plus in the Wondery app
0:15.5	or on Apple Podcasts.
0:19.6	A listener note, this episode contains adult content and is not suitable for everyone.
0:26.1	Please be advised.
0:34.7	Candy Montgomery.
0:36.9	It is a name that rings very familiar if you are a true crime fan.
0:42.4	In recent years, her story was dramatized in not one but two-hit series,
0:48.0	one on Hulu, the other on Max.
0:51.8	Jessica Beale and Elizabeth Olson each stepped into the role of Candy,
0:57.3	reigniting national attention on a case that stunned a quiet Texas town more than four decades
1:05.3	ago.
1:06.5	This case is a head scratcher, a stark departure from our usual killer psyche subjects.
1:14.3	Candy Montgomery confessed to the brutal killing of her best friend.
1:19.7	A crime so violent, so bloody, it still stuns anyone who hears the details.
1:26.1	And yet, with a full confession and 41 acts
1:30.9	blows delivered, she was not convicted of murder. But why not? Was it her pristine image in her
1:40.8	buttoned-up church-going community? Was it a brilliant defense strategy?
1:46.6	Or a fumble of the prosecution?
	...

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