Elizabeth Olsen Portrays Candy Montgomery in HBO Max's True-Crime Series "Love & Death"

HBO Max's logline for the series simply states that "Love & Death" follows "two church going couples enjoying small town family life in Texas, until somebody picks up an axe." However, the plot is much more complex than that, as the unsettling true story the series is based on involves betrayal, an affair, and a gruesome murder.

Per true events, Candy Montgomery and Betty Gore formed a friendship before things turned sour after the former developed feelings for Betty's husband, Allan. The two began an affair that lasted for months before it was eventually called off. But on June 13, 1980, while Allan was out of town on a business trip, his wife was stabbed in her home with an axe 41 times and Montgomery became the prime suspect. Montgomery was eventually arrested for the crime and tried in court, but a jury later found her not guilty. After the trial, she reportedly relocated to Georgia and became certified in family counseling, per The Dallas Morning News.

Elizabeth Olsen leads the "Love & Death" cast with her portrayal of Candy Montgomery. Jesse Plemons plays Allan Gore and Lily Rabe portrays Betty Gore. Patrick Fugit, Keir Gilchrist, Elizabeth Marvel, Tom Pelphrey, and Krysten Ritter also star in the series.

HBO Max has yet to announce a release date for the limited series but teased that it's expected to arrive sometime in 2023. It was originally set to debut this year.