Late US sheriff Buford Pusser once inspired Hollywood movie, now suspect in wife's murder | Who was he?
Sheriff Pusser's wife, Pauline Mullins Pusser, was believed to have been shot by unknown gunmen and killed in 1967.
Buford Pusser, known to people as a fearless, no-nonsense sheriff who targeted crime and corruption issues in rural Tennessee, has become the centre of a new investigation of his wife's murder.
Sheriff Pusser's wife, Pauline Mullins Pusser, was believed to have been shot by unknown gunmen and killed in 1967. The Sheriff at the time claimed it was an ambush meant for him. No suspects were ever identified, and the case was closed mainly based on Pusser's account.
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However, new evidence uncovered by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) paints a different picture. A reopened cold case investigation found that forensic, medical, and ballistic evidence directly contradicts Pusser's version of events.
Who was Sheriff Buford Pusser?
Known for his virtual one-person war on moonshining, prostitution, gambling, and other vices along the Mississippi–Tennessee state line, Buford Pusser served as Sheriff of McNairy County in the 1960s.
In 1967, tragedy struck when his wife, Pauline Mullins Pusser, was shot and killed in what the Sheriff claimed was an ambush meant for him. Pusser said unknown gunmen opened fire on their vehicle during an early morning call, killing Pauline and wounding him.
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The case was closed based on his version of events. He spent nearly three weeks in the hospital after the incident and continued to be seen as a symbol of justice. His life inspired the 1973 film Walking Tall and turned him into a folk hero.
He was killed in a car crash in 1974.
The Buford Pusser Museum was established at the home he lived in at the time of his death in 1974. A Buford Pusser Festival is held each May in his hometown of Adamsville.
What does new evidence indicate?
Investigators now believe Pauline was shot outside the car and later placed inside, suggesting the crime scene may have been staged.
A new autopsy in 2024 also revealed signs of previous trauma and a gunshot wound that did not match the Sheriff's account. Experts also concluded that the wound to Pusser's own cheek was likely self-inflicted, ABC reported.
Investigators also received a tip about the possible murder weapon in spring 2023.
According to authorities, if Buford Pusser were alive today, there would be enough probable cause for a murder indictment. District Attorney Mark Davidson said, "This was not an accident—it was an act of intimate violence."
