4. Don Crowder
Don Crowder was one of Candy Montgomery’s defense attorneys during the trial.
Before 1980, Don Crowder was just a reliable personal injury lawyer in Collin County. He handled car wrecks and workplace disputes and had absolutely zero criminal defense experience. But when he decided to take Candy Montgomery’s case, he walked straight into a national media storm that he would never fully escape.
In the courtroom, Crowder was pure theater. While his partner Robert Udashen handled the legal heavy lifting, Crowder was the charismatic frontman. He used a mix of aggressive showmanship, pacing, and constant interruptions to keep the prosecution completely off balance. His relentless pushing of the radical psychological defense is what ultimately secured the shocking not-guilty verdict.
The victory made Crowder instantly famous, though highly controversial. Some praised his absolute nerve, while others accused him of gaming the legal system. He leaned into the notoriety for a while, even making a run for Texas governor in 1986.
However, the massive attention proved to be a double-edged sword. Friends noted that the immense pressure of fame and being permanently tied to the notorious ax murder slowly wore him down. Tragically, on November 10, 1998, at the age of 56, Crowder took his own life—a dark final chapter for an attorney who once seemed invincible.
