MARTIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — A decades-old cold case investigation has concluded with shocking findings about one of Tennessee's most famous lawmen: legendary McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser likely murdered his wife in 1967, investigators say.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and a local District Attorney's office announced the conclusion of their three-year investigation into the death of Pauline Mullins Pusser, whose body was exhumed and autopsied after her 1967 death went unsolved for decades.
"Events did not occur as stated by Buford Pusser and that Pauline Pusser was more likely than not shot outside the vehicle and then placed inside the vehicle," said Mark Davidson, District Attorney General for the 25th Judicial District in a news conference held at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
The investigation found that Pusser's gunshot wound was likely self-inflicted, contradicting his original account of the incident.
"The gunshot wound to Buford Pusser's cheek was a close contact wound, not long range as Buford Pusser described, and likely self-inflicted," Davidson said.
The original story
On Aug. 12, 1967, Buford Pusser claimed his wife agreed to accompany him on a disturbance call. He told officers they were ambushed and shot by unknown individuals in a passing car, killing Pauline and badly injuring the sheriff.
"The case, built largely on Buford's own statement, closed quickly. Perhaps, too quickly," said David Rausch, Director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Investigators didn't perform an autopsy when Pauline was murdered, likely because of who she was married to.
While Sheriff Pusser named some suspects shortly after his recovery, no arrests were ever made in the case.
New evidence changes everything
More than 1,000 pages of evidence led investigators to a haunting conclusion about the sheriff immortalized in the 1973 movie "Walking Tall" and its many adaptations. "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 said.
Family finds closure
Griffon Mullins, Pauline's last surviving sibling, shared a deeply personal, pre-recorded response to the findings on behalf of his family. "I loved her with all my heart and I missed her horribly," Mullins said.
Mullins indicated in his message, he wasn't totally shocked by the news, indicating he had seen instances where Buford and Pauline didn't have an exactly idyllic marriage. "I just thank God that I finally got the closure. I lost my other sister and I'm just sorry she's not here to learn," Mullins said.
Investigation limitations
Investigators acknowledge these findings are not definitive and may not fully answer all questions for all people. "The file's not going to give you a — he did it and this is exactly how it happened summary," Davidson said.
However, in a rare move, the TBI is making the whole case file a public record, housed at the University of Tennessee at Martin. The university says they will digitize the files so anyone can access them online, but they warn that process will take quite a bit of time.
Meanwhile, the City of Adamsville is responding since there's a museum dedicated to remembering Buford Pusser and his legacy. The city says Mayor Jackie Hamm and the Board of Commissions will review the findings before taking the appropriate course of action.
Did you ever meet Sheriff Buford Pusser or his wife Pauline Pusser? We'd love to hear from you. Email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
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