Where is Dr. Fred Fason Now? – Candy Montgomery was convicted of brutally murdering her former friend Betty Gore in 1980, allegedly using an axe to attack her at least 41 times. Montgomery claimed the act was done in self-defense, but the jury rejected this defense and found her guilty of murder.
Dr. Fred Fason was one of the psychiatrists involved in this case and can provide you with additional details. Dr. Fason treated Montgomery for depression before her murder and later became her treating psychiatrist; during Montgomery’s trial, he testified about this treatment, believing it contributed to the killing; nevertheless, the jury eventually dismissed Montgomery’s defense’s argument that mental illness exonerated her, convicting her for murder instead.
At the time, this case received considerable media coverage and is still the subject of various documentaries, books, and television shows. Here is all the information we have.
What has Happened to Dr. Fred Fason?
Fred Fason was born August 9, 1928, to Idelle and Eugene Fason of Central Texas. As a result of World War II, however, his early years were unstable; attending several schools due to his father’s oil and gas industry work before graduating high school in California in 1946.
After graduating high school, Fred joined the Navy and served during World War II’s final months. Following his discharge, he made a name for himself in real estate as an accomplished real estate agent in Southern California before switching fields entirely and enrolling at Southern Methodist University (SMU) to earn his Bachelor’s in Economics degree.
Fred was not content to settle for success in real estate or economics alone, however; he harbored a keen interest in medicine that led him to enroll at Baylor College to gain a foundational understanding. Subsequently, he completed UCLA Medical Center’s rigorous 3-year Psychiatry Residency to prove his commitment.
After completing his residency, Fred obtained certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, which recognized him as a qualified expert in the field. Subsequently, he opened a private practice in Houston, Texas, becoming well known for his expertise, friendly manner, and pursuit of new knowledge and techniques. Due to this reputation, he became involved with criminal and civil justice cases, including federal proceedings, as a psychiatrist.
Fred was involved with several high-profile cases during his career, such as Candy Montgomery’s murder trial for allegedly killing Betty Gore with an axe in Wylie, Texas, on July 13th 1980. Candy’s lawyer asked Fred for assistance, yet initially declined due to concerns that any courtroom work would lead to bad PR for himself and the firm. Once more familiar with the case details, however, Fred agreed to meet with Candy for consultation and hypnosis sessions to gain more information regarding what transpired that day.
At Candy’s trial, Fred testified as a defense witness about their treatment together and his belief that she suffered from mental health issues such as depression that contributed to the killing. Unfortunately for Fred’s defense arguments that Candy wasn’t criminally liable due to mental illness being responsible, but she was found guilty, and sentencing proceeded accordingly.
Fred Montgomery had little information released publicly regarding his life or career outside of his involvement in the Candy Montgomery case; however, we know he persisted with medicine until age and physical conditions impeded his practice. On Wednesday, July 25th 2012 he died due to natural causes while sleeping at home surrounded by his three sons, two grandchildren, and an ex-wife.
You can watch Dr. Fred Fason’s story in ‘Love & Death‘ on HBO MAX.
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