Pretty Wicked

Pretty Wicked

Sunday Best: Blood and Betrayal

Aug 26, 2026 · 54 min · 18 segments

They say Friday the 13th is unlucky for a reason. Well, on one Friday the 13th back in 1980, in a quiet Texas suburb where everybody goes to the same church and everybody knows everybody's business…

They say Friday the 13th is unlucky for a reason. Well, on one Friday the 13th back in 1980, in a quiet Texas suburb where everybody goes to the same church and everybody knows everybody's business, that superstition came true in the worst way. Because that morning, a young mom and Sunday school teacher was found dead in her own home, and nobody could make sense of it. She had the husband, the two girls, the whole life. So who would do this? Well, friends, the answer had been sitting in the next pew the whole time. This week, a friendship, a secret, and one summer morning that turned a quiet Texas town upside down. SHOW NOTES 🖤 FOLLOW PRETTY WICKED New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe so you never miss one. Instagram: @prettywickedthepodcast If you loved this episode, leaving a review means the world and helps other listeners find the show. Pretty Wicked is hosted by Megan Alda. 🖤 SOURCES & FURTHER READING Here is everything used to research this episode. 🔗 WEB SOURCES Texas Monthly - Love and Death in Silicon Prairie, Part I: Candy Montgomery's Affair A&E - The Betty Gore Murder: Could 41 Axe Blows Be Self-Defense? TODAY - The true story of Candy Montgomery that inspired 'Love and Death' TODAY - Where are Candy and Pat Montgomery from 'Love and Death' now? Oxygen - What Happened To Candy Montgomery, Betty Gore? Newsweek - What Happened to Candy Montgomery and Where Is She Now? Biography - Where Is Acquitted Murderer Candy Montgomery Now? 📚 BOOKS Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs - John Bloom and Jim Atkinson (Open Road Media, 1984) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They say Friday the 13th is unlucky for a reason. Well, on one Friday the 13th back in 1980, in a quiet Texas suburb where everybody goes to the same church and everybody knows everybody's business…

Wylie and the Two Women2:16 – 7:43

2:16

[gentle music] Wylie, Texas, in the 1980s was the kind of small town where life felt simple, predictable even.

2:49

It hadn't been swallowed up by the sprawl of Dallas yet, so there was this bit of breathing room, a buffer of open fields and quiet roadside, if you will, that kept the charm intact.

3:01

Neighbors waved hello from their porches.

3:04

Kids rode their bikes until the streetlights flickered on, and everybody knew everybody.

3:11

Now, if you were to ask what the heart of Wylie was, people wouldn't point to the school or the local diner.

3:18

No, they would point to the church.

3:21

That's where everything happened.

3:24

Life revolved around Sunday services, Bible studies, potlucks, and choir practices.

3:30

It was there that you went to catch up on the latest news, maybe some gossip, but also to feel connected, like you were a part of something bigger.

3:40

And that's where Candy Montgomery and Betty Gore crossed paths, two women who, on the outside, seemed to have picture-perfect lives.

3:51

Candy Montgomery, well, she stood out.

3:54

She had this presence about her.

3:56

Blonde hair always styled perfectly with a big, warm smile and a laugh that you could hear clearly across the busy church picnic.

4:05

She was magnetic, the kind of person that you'd notice right away.

4:10

If you needed someone to step up for the bake sale, well, Candy would volunteer.

4:14

Planning the Fourth of July barbecue? Candy had it covered, and flashing her signature grin while she did it.

4:22

On the surface, Candy looked like the perfect neighbor, the perfect friend.

4:27

She had two children, a nice home, and this effortless way of making people feel important.

4:34

But underneath all of that charm, there was a crack.

4:37

It was small, yes, but it was there.

4:40

Candy felt restless.

4:43

She had an itch, so to speak, that she couldn't quite scratch.

4:49

And then there was Betty Gore, Candy's complete opposite in so many ways.

4:54

Betty wasn't the type to command attention in a room, but she did have a quiet strength about her.

5:00

She taught elementary school, and at home, although she did have her struggles, she was a very loving mother and deeply cared for her girls.

Wylie and the Two Women2:16 – 7:43

2:16

[gentle music] Wylie, Texas, in the 1980s was the kind of small town where life felt simple, predictable even.

2:49

It hadn't been swallowed up by the sprawl of Dallas yet, so there was this bit of breathing room, a buffer of open fields and quiet roadside, if you will, that kept the charm intact.

3:01

Neighbors waved hello from their porches.

3:04

Kids rode their bikes until the streetlights flickered on, and everybody knew everybody.

3:11

Now, if you were to ask what the heart of Wylie was, people wouldn't point to the school or the local diner.

3:18

No, they would point to the church.

3:21

That's where everything happened.

3:24

Life revolved around Sunday services, Bible studies, potlucks, and choir practices.

3:30

It was there that you went to catch up on the latest news, maybe some gossip, but also to feel connected, like you were a part of something bigger.

3:40

And that's where Candy Montgomery and Betty Gore crossed paths, two women who, on the outside, seemed to have picture-perfect lives.

3:51

Candy Montgomery, well, she stood out.

3:54

She had this presence about her.

3:56

Blonde hair always styled perfectly with a big, warm smile and a laugh that you could hear clearly across the busy church picnic.

4:05

She was magnetic, the kind of person that you'd notice right away.

4:10

If you needed someone to step up for the bake sale, well, Candy would volunteer.

4:14

Planning the Fourth of July barbecue? Candy had it covered, and flashing her signature grin while she did it.

4:22

On the surface, Candy looked like the perfect neighbor, the perfect friend.

4:27

She had two children, a nice home, and this effortless way of making people feel important.

4:34

But underneath all of that charm, there was a crack.

4:37

It was small, yes, but it was there.

4:40

Candy felt restless.

4:43

She had an itch, so to speak, that she couldn't quite scratch.

4:49

And then there was Betty Gore, Candy's complete opposite in so many ways.

4:54

Betty wasn't the type to command attention in a room, but she did have a quiet strength about her.

5:00

She taught elementary school, and at home, although she did have her struggles, she was a very loving mother and deeply cared for her girls.