New evidence in the 58-year-old murder case of Pauline Pusser, announced at a press conference on August 29, 2025, by District Attorney General Mark Davidson, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), and the University of Tennessee, Martin, implicates former McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser in his wife’s 1967 death.

Following a tip in 2022, Pauline’s body was exhumed in February 2024, revealing inconsistencies in Buford’s account of an ambush by unknown assailants. Forensic, ballistic, and re-enactment evidence suggests a staged crime scene, with Pauline likely shot outside their vehicle and placed inside, and Buford’s cheek wound appearing self-inflicted at close range. An autopsy also uncovered a prior nasal fracture, hinting at domestic violence.

Davidson stated that the evidence would have led to Buford’s indictment if he were alive.

The case, initially closed quickly based on Buford’s claims, was reopened after a 2023 tip about a possible murder weapon. Pauline’s brother, Griffon Mullins, expressed closure despite his grief, noting her caring nature and troubled marriage.

The TBI, emphasizing transparency, will transfer the case file to UT Martin for public and academic review, encouraging independent conclusions about this historic case that inspired the 1973 film “Walking Tall”.