End of “Love and Death” explained: what happened to Candy Montgomery after the trial

BEWARE, SPOILER ALERT. Based on the chapter “Love & Death In Silicon Prairie, Part I & II” from the book “Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs”, written by Jim Atkinson and John Bloom, “love and death” (“Love and Death” in Spanish) is a HBO Max series Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter, written by David E, and starring Elizabeth Olsen, Lily Rabe, Jesse Plemons, and Patrick Fugit.

The intense psychological drama tells the stunning true story of Candy Montgomery, an 1980s Texan housewife accused of murder. When a loving family, the perfect home, and church fail to help Candy overcome suburban monotony, she has a heated run-in with Allan Gore, her churchmate and Betty’s husband, and discovers the spark that was missing in her life.

After thinking about it a bit, the protagonist of “love and death” proposes to Allan to have an affair. Although he is not sure to accept, his marital problems lead him to agree to become Candy’s lover. Even though they make rules like not getting romantically involved, they can’t help it.

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF “LOVE AND DEATH”?

Although he is happy to be with Candy, Allan is aware that his affair affects his marriage, since after the birth of his daughter, Betty is worse than before, so he agrees to go with her to a couples’ retreat, something that it angers her lover, who must take care of his family.

Due to a letter from Allan, Pat discovers his wife’s affair and after talking with Sherry, confronts Candy. But he also apologizes for sending her off to find another man. After the sincere conversation, things improve between them, especially since the affair ended months ago.

On June 13, 1980, Candy goes to Betty’s house to pick up her daughter’s swimsuit and ask her permission to take the girls to the movies. Before Montgomery leaves, Gore confronts her about being her husband’s mistress. The defendant apologizes, but a gruesome altercation ensues, ending with Betty’s brutal murder.

Candy tries to carry on with her day as normal, but it doesn’t take long for evidence against her to emerge and she is put on trial. On the recommendation of her lawyer Don Crowder, she confesses that she murdered Betty, but that it was in her own defense. Although her version is credible, she does not explain the violence with which she reacted.

In the last episode of “Love and death”, despite the fact that Don, who has constant confrontations with the judge in charge of the case, tries to delay his client’s testimony due to her mental state, Candy testifies and tells every detail of that fateful day, which divides public opinion.

WHAT DOES THE ENDING OF “LOVE AND DEATH” MEAN?

Before the jury deliberates, the lawyers for both sides present their last arguments. Don stresses that Candy acted in legitimate defense and that her guilt will imprison her forever, but her counterpart points out that nothing justifies 41 blows with an ax and that murder cannot go unpunished.

While they wait for the verdict, Pat tells Candy that their lives will never be the same again and proposes to move when the trial is over. On October 30, 1980, Candy was found not guilty.sentence that was harshly criticized by the community.

“Love and Death” ends with Candy moving her family to GeorgiaIt also reveals what happened to all those involved after the trial. Pat divorced Candy soon after, Allan remarried but also separated. The Betty daughters stayed with their grandparents.

Don Crowder ran for governor of Texas in 1986 and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1998. An autopsy determined that Betty was not pregnant when she died. Candy worked as a family therapist in Georgia.