Reopening a Folk Hero's Tragedy: The Exhumation of Pauline Pusser

Adamsville, Tennessee has been reminded of a tragedy that shook its grounds over half a century ago. In an unexpected development, authorities exhumed the body of Pauline Pusser, wife of the famed sheriff Buford Pusser. Known for his giant stature and no-nonsense approach against crime, Buford’s story of courage and tragedy has long become a part of the local folklore, further etched into American culture through films and books. Yet, it's the mystery surrounding his wife Pauline's death that has grasped headlines once again.

On a day shrouded by overcast skies, the investigation into Pauline Pusser’s death was reignited when her body was removed from its resting place. The grim task took place beneath Buford Pusser’s towering headstone marked boldly with the phrase “He Walked Tall.” It was here, in the silent repose of the cemetery, where Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents embarked on their solemn duty, prompted by a recent tip that exposed the absence of an autopsy following Pauline’s death on that fateful day of August 12, 1967.

Pauline Pusser was taken from this world in an act of violence that was marred with questions and few answers, leaving behind a young family and a husband whose own life was a testament to the dangers of his profession. The scope of this tragedy extends from the personal loss to the broader implications of justice unserved for a young mother met with a premature end.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are as murky as the country roads where it took place. That morning, Buford and Pauline Pusser were en route to address a complaint, duties typical for a serving sheriff. It was on New Hope Road, a whisper away from the Tennessee-Mississippi border, that shots rang out, leaving Pauline dead and Buford severely injured. Despite the recovery of spent cartridges and multiple bullet impacts on their vehicle, the assailants were never identified.

Buford Pusser himself only had six more years to seek justice for his wife before his own untimely death, an event shrouded in its own mysteries. This towering figure, who once clashed with moonshiners and outlaws, may have lived long enough to see himself portrayed as a hero on the silver screen, yet he did not live to witness the continued quest for closure following his and his wife’s violent assaults.

As the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reopens this case with modern forensic science, they do so with the weight of a family’s longing for answers and a community’s quest for the truth. Questions that have lingered like specters over the legacy of Buford Pusser - such as the true circumstances of the ambush, the direction of the fatal shot, and the veracity of the sheriff’s account - now have the potential for answers. It is a daunting task for the TBI, reexamining wounds and evidence over half a century old, but one they undertake with the hope of finally delivering peace to those affected.

While tourists visit the sites associated with Buford Pusser, the fascination with this towering sheriff's life and battles will never be complete without clarity on the death of his partner, parent, and spouse, Pauline. With the exhumation complete, the community of Adamsville and all those captivated by the Pusser story await the findings, which may offer a resolution long overdue. More than just the trajectory of a bullet or the details of a crime scene, what lies at the heart of this investigation is the pursuit of enduring justice for Pauline Pusser and a reexamination of a narrative that has become larger than life.