the watcher
Diamond Member
For Shame, Buford. He's not here to defend himself, so there it is. Investigators say they found 'probable cause' that legendary sheriff Buford Pusser murdered his wife, Pauline
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
Well, if he actually did it, God probably met him at the pearly gates.The story of Sheriff Buford Pusser—once hailed as a Southern folk hero and immortalized in the Walking Tall films—has taken a dramatic turn. As of August 2025, new evidence uncovered by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the District Attorney for Tennessee’s 25th Judicial District suggests that Pusser likely murdered his wife, Pauline, in 19672.
The original story claimed the couple was ambushed by unknown assailants, with Pauline fatally shot and Buford wounded in the jaw. But forensic evidence now contradicts that account:
- Blood spatter analysis suggests Pauline was shot outside the car, then placed inside.
- Buford’s gunshot wound appears to have been self-inflicted, not from a long-range ambush.
- Photos and autopsy results revealed signs of prior injury and cranial trauma inconsistent with the original narrative.
Legal Implications
- Authorities now describe Pauline’s death as an act of “intimate, deliberate violence”, and say Buford would have been indicted for murder had he still been alive.
- Pusser died in a car crash in 1974 at age 36, so no charges can be filed.