Tennessee Officials Say ‘Walking Tall’ Sheriff Likely Behind Wife’s 1967 Murder

MCNAIRY COUNTY, TN – Following a renewed investigation into the 1967 death of Pauline Pusser, the then-wife of Buford Pusser of “Walking Tall” fame, has led investigators to believe that the late McNairy County sheriff, whose life story became the stuff of law enforcement legend, may have been behind his wife’s murder, according to AL.com. 

Buford Pusser, who passed away in a suspected DUI-related crash in 1974, is a figure in law enforcement where introductions likely aren’t needed. Known for surviving several attempts on his life while working in law enforcement, alongside his fervent pursuit of organized crime in Tennessee, which would later be immortalized in several semi-biographical films, Buford Pusser amassed a reputation for being tough on crime and seemingly impossible to kill during his tenure in law enforcement.

But the August 12th, 1967, death of Buford’s wife, which has been long framed as an attempt on Buford’s life as the couple were driving together to respond to call in McNairy County, has resurfaced in the news due to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) finding probable cause that Buford may have been the individual who fatally shot his wife.

In the aforementioned original narrative alleged by Buford, the famed sheriff claimed his war with the Dixie Mafia led to a contract being taken out on his life by then-mafia boss Kirksey Nix, leading to the infamous drive-by shooting in August 1967 that resulted in his wife’s death and Buford being seriously injured by the gunfire. However, neither Nix nor anyone else was ever charged in the fatal shooting.

Throughout the decades since, Pauline’s murder investigation was never formally closed, which eventually led to her body being exhumed in 2024 after the TBI received information in 2022 about a potential weapon used during the fatal shooting. Upon an examination of Pauline’s body, investigators believe she was fatally shot outside of the vehicle before being placed inside, after which Buford allegedly shot himself to stage the crime scene.

District Attorney General Mark Davidson spoke on the recent revelations in the investigation, telling members of the press, “The TBI has produced evidence sufficient…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. That obviously cannot happen. But there is probable cause to believe Pauline’s death was not an accident, not an act of chance, but…an act of intimate, deliberate violence.”

Pauline’s autopsy also presented evidence of a fractured nose that had healed prior to her untimely death, lending credence to the theory of there being a history of domestic violence in the Pusser home, a notion Pauline’s brother, Griffon Mullins, wasn’t “shocked” to learn.

“She was the leader of our family,” Mullins stated, adding, “She was the most caring, personable person. I’ve missed her horribly these last 57 years. I knew deep down there were problems in her marriage…Perfectly honest with you, I’m not totally shocked.”

In light of the public interest surrounding the case, AG Davidson stated the investigative file will be kept at the University of Tennessee at Martin, further adding, “This case is not about tearing down a legend. It is about giving dignity and closure to Pauline and her family and ensuring that the truth is not buried with time.”