Legend of 'Walking Tall' sheriff shaken by new murder findings
(Original Caption) Selmer, Tenn.: His face marked by the scars where two 30 caliber carbine slugs blasted half of his face away, former McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser points to a section along a lonely blacktop road where he and his wife Paulin
A Tennessee sheriff who inspired Hollywood films and generations of law enforcement officers has now been linked to the killing of his own wife, according to newly released findings that have upended a decades-old story.
Authorities said Friday that Buford Pusser, the McNairy County sheriff immortalized in the 1973 film Walking Tall, fatally shot his wife Pauline Mullins Pusser in 1967 and misled the public into believing she was murdered by his criminal enemies, according to The Associated Press.
Famous sheriff of Walking Tall; Buford Pusser wanted to be mortician; his mother says. (Photo by Dick Darrell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
What we know:
District Attorney Mark Davidson of Tennessee’s 25th judicial district said evidence shows that if Buford Pusser were alive today, prosecutors would present an indictment to a grand jury for his wife’s killing. Investigators also found signs that Pauline endured domestic violence before her death.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation began reexamining the case in 2022, uncovering inconsistencies between Pusser’s account and the physical evidence. Agents received a tip about a possible murder weapon and later exhumed Pauline’s body for an autopsy.
"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," Davidson said. "The truth matters. Justice matters. Even 58 years later. Pauline deserves both."
Timeline:
On Aug. 12, 1967, Pusser reported that he and Pauline were ambushed by gunfire while driving near New Hope Methodist Church. He claimed his wife was killed instantly while he was injured, spending 18 days in the hospital. The case was quickly closed based largely on his statement.
During the reexamination, Dr. Michael Revelle, an emergency medicine physician and medical examiner, concluded Pauline was likely shot outside the car and then placed inside. Blood spatter on the hood and her cranial trauma did not match Pusser’s story. Revelle also determined that the sheriff’s cheek wound was a close-contact, likely self-inflicted gunshot, contradicting his claims that it came from long range.
Pauline’s autopsy revealed an older, healed broken nose, and witnesses recalled signs of domestic violence in the home.
The backstory:
Buford Pusser became a folk hero after his wife’s death, known for waging war against organized crime. His story inspired the 1973 movie Walking Tall, later remade in 2004 with Dwayne Johnson. Davidson said many officers chose careers in law enforcement after seeing the films. Pusser himself died in a car crash in 1974, seven years after Pauline’s death.
Dwayne"The Rock"Johnson and Dwana Pusser during The Rock Visits Sheriff Buford Pusser's Hometown at Mcnairy County Courthouse in Adamsville, TN., United States. ***Exclusive*** (Photo by R. Diamond/WireImage)
What they're saying:
Pauline’s younger brother, Griffon Mullins, said the new investigation finally gave him peace.
"You would fall in love with her because she was a people person," he said in a video played during Friday’s news conference. "She was just a sweet person. I loved her with all my heart."
Mullins said he knew Pauline’s marriage had problems, though she rarely discussed them. "For that reason, I was not totally shocked," he said.
What's next:
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation plans to release the case file, which runs more than 1,000 pages, to the University of Tennessee at Martin. The university will create an online, searchable database once redactions are complete. Until then, members of the public can view the file by appointment or purchase a copy, Chancellor Yancy Freeman Sr. said.