Where is Candace Wheeler (Montgomery) today, after she was acquitted?
Candace Wheeler, formerly known as Candace Montgomery, lives a quiet life away from the spotlight. After her 1980 acquittal in one of Texas’s most infamous murder trials, she relocated to Georgia. There, she reportedly pursued a career in mental health counselling under her maiden name. As of 2025, Candace Wheeler has avoided public attention and rarely gives interviews.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Candace Wheeler, born on 15 November 1949, was married to Pat Montgomery, but they divorced after was acquitted of murder charges.
- She was charged with the murder of Betty Gore in Wylie, Texas, and after a high-profile trial, she was found not guilty on 30 October 1980.
- Following the trial, she and her then-husband moved to Georgia, but their marriage eventually ended, and she reverted to her maiden name, Wheeler.
- Candace Wheeler, reportedly still alive, trained as a mental health counsellor and has since maintained a private life.
Profile summary
Full name | Candace Lynn Wheeler |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 15 November 1949 |
Age | 76 years old (as of 2026) |
Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
Place of birth | United States |
Current residence | Georgia, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Hair colour | Brown |
Eye colour | Brown |
Marital status | Divorced |
Ex-partner | Pat Montgomery |
Children | 2 |
Profession | Therapist |
Where is Candace Wheeler today?
Candace Wheeler is thought to live a quiet and private life in the state of Georgia, United States. After her 1980 trial, where she was acquitted in the killing of Betty Gore, she and her then-husband, Pat Montgomery, left Texas and settled in Georgia to start over.
In the years that followed, Candace reportedly went back to school and trained as a counsellor, focusing on family and mental health support. She is believed to have worked as a mental health counsellor, possibly alongside her daughter, assisting people dealing with challenges such as anxiety, grief, and depression.
Source: Original
She later separated from Pat Montgomery and reverted to her maiden name, Wheeler. Since the divorce, she has kept a very low profile, steering clear of media attention and declining to speak publicly about dramatisations or portrayals of her past.
What happened to Candy Montgomery?
Candace Lynn Wheeler was charged in 1980 with the killing of her friend, Betty Gore, in Wylie, Texas. The case quickly attracted widespread national attention because of its disturbing circumstances and the fact that it occurred in a quiet suburban community.
In court, Candy testified that Betty confronted her with an axe and that she fought back to protect herself. Although the case involved an unusually violent incident, the jury ultimately believed her account and acquitted her of murder on 30 October 1980.
Following the trial, Candy attempted to move forward with her life. She and her husband at the time, Pat, relocated to Georgia, hoping to leave the highly publicized case behind and begin again away from the intense spotlight surrounding the trial.
Source: UGC
Over time, she focused on her education and a new career, distancing herself from the events in Texas. Despite renewed public interest due to television dramas like Candy and Love & Death, she did not take part in any adaptations, nor did she willingly engage with journalists.
Where is Pat Montgomery now?
Pat Montgomery stood by Candace throughout the trial, offering support during the legal proceedings. After she was acquitted, the couple relocated to Georgia, but their marriage eventually came to an end a few years later.
Since then, Pat Montgomery has largely remained out of the public eye, choosing a private life away from media attention. It is also not publicly known whether he remarried after their divorce.
Is Candy Montgomery still alive?
Source: UGC
Candace Wheeler is reportedly still alive, living in Georgia, United States. Born on 15 November 1949, she is 76 years old as of March 2026.
FAQs
- Did Candy Montgomery remarry? It is unknown whether Candy Montgomery remarried after her divorce from Pat Montgomery. She has kept a very private life and avoided media attention.
- Did Candy Montgomery go to jail? She was acquitted of murder in 1980 after the jury accepted her self-defence claim in the killing of Betty Gore and, therefore, never served time in prison.
- Who are Candy Montgomery’s children? She reportedly has two children with her ex-husband. However, no public information is available about her son and daughter.
- What happened to Candy Montgomery’s kids? They were raised in Georgia, United States. Her daughter is reportedly a counsellor.
- Is Candy still married to Pat? Their marriage ended a few years after they moved to Georgia following her acquittal.
- Why was Candy Montgomery not convicted? She was acquitted because the jury believed she acted in self-defence. Evidence presented at trial indicated that Betty Gore attacked Candy first with an axe, and Candy responded to protect herself.
- Who was Don Crowder in the Candace Montgomery case? He was her defence lawyer. Despite having no prior experience in criminal law, he successfully defended her. After the trial, he faced backlash and death threats and tragically took his own life in 1998.
- What happened to Betty’s husband? Allan Gore remarried shortly after Betty's death but later divorced. He lost custody of his daughters but eventually reconnected with them. He is now retired and living in Sarasota, Florida, with a domestic partner.
Candace Wheeler has lived a private life since her 1980 acquittal and return to her maiden name after she divorced Pat Montgomery. She is believed to reside in Georgia and has worked in counselling, largely avoiding media attention. Her former husband has also maintained a low profile, staying out of the public spotlight since their divorce.
Legit.ng recently featured an engaging article about Cathryn Mellender. She gained public attention in 2021 after testifying against her former boyfriend, Chandler Halderson, during the trial over the deaths of his parents. Although Mellender, a healthcare worker, had no role in the crime, her testimony played a key part in supporting the prosecution’s case.
Cathryn Mellender found herself at the centre of the high-profile trial after Halderson was accused of killing his parents, Bart Halderson and Krista Halderson. Her courtroom testimony played an important role in supporting the prosecution’s arguments. After the case concluded, she chose to step away from public attention and live a quiet, private life.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
