The Tragic Murder in Wylie, Texas

On Friday the 13th, 1980, one of the most horrific murders in Texas occurred in the tiny town of Wylie, just outside of Dallas. Candy Montgomery killed her best friend, Betty Gore, with an axe. Both women were married with children and were members of the same church, where they met in 1977.

The tragedy unfolded while Candy Montgomery was having an affair with Betty Gore's husband, Allan Gore. Allan called off the affair when his wife, Betty, became pregnant. That's when Candy killed her best friend.

The autopsy report revealed that Candy struck Betty’s body 41 times with an axe. According to the report, 40 of those blows were delivered while Betty was still alive, and her heart was still beating. Despite this, Candy insisted she didn’t mean to kill her best friend.

Movie Portrayals and the Legal Outcome

The murder was so shocking that it became the subject of two true-crime films: one on HBO Max, titled Love and Death, and another on Hulu, titled Candy. Montgomery was charged with murder but was found not guilty, largely because a psychiatrist testified that she was struggling with childhood trauma and “didn’t know what she was doing.”

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Friday the 13th is considered an unlucky day throughout the U.S., though the origins of this superstition are unclear. One theory ties it to the Last Supper, where Jesus Christ and his 12 disciples were present. The 13th and most infamous guest, Judas Iscariot, betrayed Jesus, leading to His crucifixion on what is now known as Good Friday.

Christian Associations with Bad Luck

Some Christian traditions associate Friday with bad luck because it is believed to be the day Jesus was crucified. When combined with superstitions about the number 13, Friday the 13th became regarded as a particularly unlucky day.

Here are five common superstitions associated with Friday the 13th:

  1. Black cats: It is believed that if a black cat crosses your path, you will have bad luck.
  2. Breaking a mirror: If you break a mirror, it is said you will have seven years of bad luck.
  3. Walking under a ladder: Walking under a ladder is thought to bring bad luck.
  4. Opening an umbrella indoors: It is believed that opening an umbrella indoors will bring bad luck.
  5. The number 13: The number 13 is considered unlucky in Western culture. Some buildings do not have a 13th floor, and some people avoid the number altogether.

Final Thoughts

These superstitions are not based on any real evidence, so while Friday the 13th is coming up this month, I wouldn’t worry about it.

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