Additional Coverage:
- ‘Walking Tall’ sheriff Buford Pusser was hailed as a crime-busting hero. What if he was the killer all along? (businessinsider.com)
The Legend Shattered: New Investigation Reopens Cold Case of Sheriff Buford Pusser’s Wife
ADAMSVILLE, TN – For decades, the name Buford Pusser has conjured images of a heroic, justice-seeking sheriff who single-handedly cleaned up McNairy County, Tennessee, battling the notorious “State Line Mob.” His legend, immortalized in the “Walking Tall” movies, painted him as a fearless lawman. However, a recent, exhaustive investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has cast a chilling new light on the tragic death of his wife, Pauline Pusser, in 1967, suggesting the celebrated sheriff may have been her killer.
Pauline Pusser’s life, though intertwined with her husband’s public persona, was far from the glamorous portrayal seen on screen. She was a sheriff’s wife with unusual duties, including cooking for prisoners and cleaning the jail, all while raising her children. On the fateful morning of August 12, 1967, she accompanied her husband, Sheriff Buford Pusser, on a police call that would irrevocably alter their lives and ultimately, his legacy.
According to Buford Pusser’s original account, an anonymous call lured him to the state line at 5 a.m. Pauline, reportedly suspicious due to previous attempts on her husband’s life, insisted on joining him.
As they drove along New Hope Road, a car with no headlights allegedly pulled alongside them, opening fire. Pauline was struck.
Pusser claimed a second pass by the assailants resulted in a fatal shot to Pauline’s forehead, leaving him with a bullet wound to his left jaw.
The incident sparked national headlines, cementing Pusser’s image as a resilient hero. Books, songs, and the immensely popular “Walking Tall” franchise followed, solidifying his status as a modern-day Wyatt Earp in his hometown of Adamsville.
Pauline, meanwhile, was laid to rest in a modest grave with an incorrect birth date, her murder unsolved, and no one ever charged. She was 36.
Whispers and doubts about Buford Pusser’s involvement in his wife’s death have persisted for over half a century. These long-held suspicions prompted the TBI to exhume Pauline’s body on February 8, 2024, in a monumental effort to finally uncover the truth.
The investigation, culminating in a packed press conference on August 29, 2025, delivered a bombshell that rocked Adamsville and challenged generations of belief. McNairy County District Attorney Mark E. Davidson announced that a 2,000-plus-page report, utilizing modern investigative techniques and forensic science, has allowed them to confidently close Pauline’s cold case.
The TBI’s findings reveal significant inconsistencies in Buford Pusser’s original narrative. Most strikingly, while Pusser claimed to be looking at Pauline when she was shot in the forehead, the forensic autopsy report concluded she was shot in the back of the head.
Ballistic tests and reenactments further suggest that Pauline was likely shot outside the car and then placed inside. The report also indicates that Buford’s facial wound was likely self-inflicted and occurred at close range.
Davidson characterized the crime scene as “staged” and Pauline’s death as “not an accident.”
Beyond the crime scene analysis, the investigation unearthed a darker reality behind the Pusser marriage, a stark contrast to the idyllic image often portrayed. The autopsy revealed Pauline suffered a nasal fracture prior to her death, and the report concludes that Buford physically abused her throughout their marriage.
Furthermore, Pauline was aware of her husband’s infidelity and his alleged payoffs from bootleggers. Crucially, evidence suggests she was contemplating divorce and planning to inform the FBI, according to Buford’s chief deputy, Jim Moffett.
“Our office, after review of the case file, believes that the TBI has produced evidence sufficient to create probable cause that would allow us, if he were alive today, to present an indictment to the McNairy County grand jury for their consideration against Buford Pusser for the murder of his wife, Pauline,” Davidson stated.
This revelation serves as a powerful vindication for individuals like Mike Elam, a former deputy sheriff, and Oakley Dean Baldwin, a retired law enforcement veteran and Pauline’s distant cousin, who have tirelessly challenged the official story for years, enduring harassment and skepticism. Dennis Hathcock, whose family was entangled in Pusser’s mythology, also found a measure of peace in the TBI’s findings.
The news sent shockwaves through Adamsville, a town that proudly displays “Welcome to Adamsville: Home of Sheriff Buford Pusser” signs. The Buford Pusser Home & Museum, curated by Tina Mullis, a distant relative, temporarily closed its doors amidst the media frenzy. Historical landmark signs near the shooting site mysteriously vanished.
However, not everyone is ready to dismantle the legend. Madison Garrison Bush, Buford and Pauline’s granddaughter, expressed dismay at the report, questioning the justice of accusing a deceased man.
Steve Sweat, a self-proclaimed Pusser historian, remains unconvinced, calling the report “more or less just an opinion.” He believes the controversy will only fuel tourism to Adamsville.
Indeed, the museum has since reopened, and a town hall meeting revealed a consensus among residents to maintain Pusser’s public image. The museum plans to make a condensed version of the TBI report available to visitors, allowing them to draw their own conclusions.
Meanwhile, Elam and Baldwin continue to share their findings through updated books and a “The Truth Has No Agenda Tour” with Dennis Hathcock. While Hathcock hopes for a reexamination of his aunt Louise’s death, he expressed profound relief for Pauline.
“I have prayed for this day to come,” Hathcock said. “For the truth to be told about Buford Pusser – because I’ve known it since I was 16 years old – I couldn’t be happier.”
The TBI’s investigation has irrevocably altered the narrative of Buford Pusser, transforming a heroic legend into a complex, tragic figure whose story is now defined by both his celebrated battles against crime and the unsettling truth about his wife’s demise.