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Police say Buford Pusser \u2014 a Tennessee County sheriff-turned-American folk hero \u2014 shot and killed his wife and made up a story about being attacked by a group of men out to kill him.<\/p>\n
The stunning turn of events undermines two popular movies and a legacy of justice.<\/p>\n
The story\u00a0Pusser\u00a0told after his wife Pauline Pusser was killed in 1967 is the same one recreated in the movie. He says he brought his wife with him on a late night police call, when a vehicle pulled up alongside their vehicle and began firing.<\/p>\n
Pauline was killed when bullets struck her in the head and Buford was shot in the face. He\u2019d spend three weeks recovering. In the above photo he’s seen with scars from the shooting, seated in a car on the road\u00a0where he said it all went down.<\/p>\n
In 2022, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) began to look more closely as this case and other cold cases. Director David Rausch \u2014 during a press conference to announce new findings \u2014 conceded that the case may have closed too quickly back then and relied too heavily on Buford Pusser\u2019s statement.<\/p>\n
During the Aug. 29 press meeting, TBI shared several findings<\/a>:<\/p>\n District Attorney Mark Davidson says\u00a0if Bufford Pussser were alive today, they\u2019d have sufficient evidence to request an indictment.<\/p>\n “The 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,” he shared.<\/p>\n True Crime podcast Gone South<\/em> explored Buford Pusser in depth in November 2024.\u00a0Host Jed Lipinski notes that there was a tip about a possible murder weapon, something the TBI also alluded to.<\/p>\n The 1973 movie Walking Tall<\/em> was a box office smash. In 2003, Buford Pusser (as played by Joe Don Baker) would be recognized as a great film hero by the American Film Institute. Two sequels were less profitable.<\/p>\n In 2004, The Rock played a character based on Pusser. During press appearances he would talk about being a big fan of the movie since age eight.<\/p>\n Johnny Knoxville and Neal McDonough (Yellowstone<\/em>, Tulsa King<\/em>) also star in the film. It was nowhere near as successful as the original, and two sequels were equally ignored.<\/p>\n These 10 country stars were locked up for committing awful crimes. Some turned their life around while others (like No. 9) never seemed to have learned their lesson.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Even celebrities can find themselves in hot water with the law, and when that happens, the mug shots can be quite eye opening. Here are some of the best, and the worst.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Wood<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
More blood stains indicate that someone was injured while inside and outside of the car.<\/li>\nThe Truth About Walking Tall<\/em><\/h3>\n
Country Music’s Most Horrific Crimes<\/h2>\n
Celebrity Mug Shots, the Best and the Worst<\/h2>\n