Pauline Pusser: TBI exhumes body of Tennessee sheriff's wife in nearly half-century-old cold case murder

MC NAIRY COUNTY, TENNESSEE: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has recently taken the step of exhuming the remains of the wife of a renowned former Tennessee sheriff, more than fifty years after her tragic death from a still-unsolved shooting, as per Charlotte Observer.

The decision to exhume the body was prompted by a recent tip received by investigators, according to officials.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officially acknowledged its involvement in overseeing the exhumation of Pauline Pusser's body on Thursday, February 8, at Adamsville Cemetery.

Pauline Pusser, the wife of McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser, was fatally shot while in a car driven by her husband. Buford Pusser gained legendary status, portrayed by Joe Don Baker in the 1973 film 'Walking Tall,' and later in a 2004 remake starring Dwayne Johnson, also known as 'The Rock.'

TBI releases a statement

According to a statement from the TBI, a recent tip prompted agents to discover that no autopsy had ever been conducted on Pauline Pusser's body. 

TBI spokesperson Keli McAlister said, "With the support of Pauline's family and in consultation with 25th Judicial District Attorney General Mark Davidson, TBI requested the exhumation in an attempt to answer critical questions and provide crucial information that may assist in identifying the person or persons responsible for Pauline Pusser's death."

Residents in the community expressed surprise, sharing with CBS affiliate WREG-TV that they were taken aback when agents swarmed the cemetery and relocated Pusser's headstone during the exhumation process.

"I was really surprised when I started getting text messages from people saying it was happening. It was shocking," Jennifer Burks told the station.

When and how was Pauline Pusser killed? 

Pauline Pusser met her tragic end in McNairy County on August 12, 1967. At that time, the Tennessee Bureau of Criminal Identification, the predecessor to the current TBI, was summoned to investigate the case.

As per McAlister, an ongoing investigation into Pauline Pusser's death is still underway. A newspaper report from August 13, 1967, referenced by The Tennessean, indicates that Pauline Pusser lost her life, and her husband sustained serious injuries to the jaw during an early morning attack on Pusser's patrol car on a secluded country road.

In the aftermath of the incident, Sheriff Pusser radioed the Selmer police chief for assistance. The couple was discovered on US 45, slightly north of the Tennessee-Mississippi state line, with the sheriff at the wheel and his wife lying on the seat, her head resting on his lap, according to The Tennessean. 

Pauline Pusser had accompanied her husband on his journey to investigate a complaint. According to The Tennessean, investigators found 14 spent 30-caliber rounds on the road where Sheriff Pusser reported the shooting occurred, approximately three miles from the state line.

The Pussers' car sustained eleven hits during the incident.

Mike Elam, a former sheriff who authored a self-published book about Pusser, informed The Tennessean that he has provided tips related to the case to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

"I think they'll be looking at the entrance and exit wounds," Elam told The Tennessean, adding: "The real question is the trajectory of the bullet."

An investigator, as cited by The Tennessean in an archival news piece, expressed the belief that the Pussers may have driven into a trap. Buford Pusser served as the sheriff of McNairy County for six years starting in 1964.

During his tenure, he actively pursued the eradication of organized crime in the county, targeting activities such as gambling and moonshining.

Buford Pusser asserted that he had killed two individuals in acts of self-defense and had endured eight gunshot wounds and seven stab wounds. Interestingly, the 2004 movie remake, set in Washington state, doesn't explicitly reference Buford Pusser by name.

Tragically, Buford Pusser met his demise in August 1974 in a car accident, occurring on the very day he had agreed to portray himself in the 'Walking Tall' sequel.