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The Wife of a Famed Tennessee Sheriff Died in a 1967 Unsolved Shooting. Agents Just Exhumed Her Body
Epoch Times ^ | 2/10/24 | AP

Posted on 02/11/2024 7:56:38 AM PST by CFW

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Authorities have exhumed the body of the wife of a famed former Tennessee sheriff more than a half-century after she was fatally shot in a still-unsolved killing.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation confirmed that it oversaw the exhumation of the body of Pauline Pusser on Thursday at Adamsville Cemetery. She was killed by incoming gunfire while in a car driven by her husband, McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser, a figure whose legend was captured in the 1973 film “Walking Tall” starring Joe Don Baker and a 2004 remake starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Various sites in Adamsville continue to attract tourists interested in the sheriff’s legacy in west Tennessee.

A TBI statement said the agency received a new tip that led agents to find that there was never an autopsy performed on Pauline Pusser’s body.

[snip]

The Tennessean cited an Aug. 13, 1967, publication of its newspaper that says Pauline Pusser was killed and her husband was “seriously wounded in the jaw when Pusser’s prowl car was fired on at dawn on a lonely country road.”

[snip]

Investigators found 14 spent 30-caliber cartridges on the road where Pusser said the shooting occurred about three miles from the state line, according to The Tennessean. The Pusser car was hit 11 times.

In the archived news article, The Tennessean quoted an investigator who said they believed the couple had driven into a trap.

(Excerpt) Read more at theepochtimes.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: bosvenson; bufordpusser; dixiemafia; joedonbaker; moonshine; murder; paulinepusser; pusser; tennessee; walkingtall
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To: higgmeister
I have known a few detectives over the years. Most to the point here, I once helped two retired homicide detectives from Jacksonville find and get documentation from the Florida state archives that showed why their solution to the murder of a black woman was not properly pursued.

In essence, a highly secret state level investigation confirmed their suspicion that the murderers were connected to a robbery ring that operated under the protection of the chief deputy sheriff. Despite learning this, the Governor at the time failed to initiate a state prosecution because it would have impinged on a wealthy local supporter who was a key ally of the sheriff.

So why would two retired cops care about a forgotten case in which the victim was a poor black woman shot at random? Because one of murdered woman's sons had tracked them down and asked who and why his mother had been murdered. There was no gain for the detectives except the moral satisfaction of justice and helping the family of the victim.

Unfortunately, despite the case being an aggravated and racially motivated murder and a failure to prosecute, even in the Obama era, there was no success in the family's suit against the local government. Too much time had passed.

81 posted on 02/11/2024 1:01:52 PM PST by Rockingham (`)
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To: Farmerbob
By the way Farmerbob, you completely evaded my question to you. Why is that?

My only point here was the wife ends up shot to death, and the husband I’m told took 3 rounds to the head and survived...We’re talking lottery luck here.

And if I were an investigator on that case, I would have taken a real close look at the surviving husband. And based on the fact they’re wanting to exhume the wife’s body seems to indicate they might not have. No?

??

82 posted on 02/11/2024 1:02:02 PM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: Pontiac

“But the lack of penetration power through windows and car doors of the round would lead me to chose a different weapon for an assassination attempt at a moving car”

Utterly uninformed. I know that is the pop culture story. But an M1 carbine will easily sail through car doors and window glass. It’s one of the most over penetrating rounds out there. It out penetrates an AR15 by far.
The problem as some people see it, is that it does not expand. But rest assured, the 30 carbine in FMJ is a penetration monster.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6B2PwShmZWM

This is fired into 1 inch pine boards. And then in 10% ballistic gel, it routinely sells through 27 inches and exits the block. And I know the stories about quilted Chinese coats. Those are actually stories about grandpa not hitting what he was shooting at. It might be worthwhile to note, that some of the men engaged in the most fierce combat in World War II, went out of their way to get 30 carbines. The USMC wildly embraced the carbine and 33% of their T&E was that little rifle. By the end of the war it was about 50/50. It was THE rifle of choice for special forces in the early days of Vietnam. It was the only weapon on Jim Cirillo‘s stakeout squad at NYPD that was 100% one shot stops. I suggest you do a little more research on the M1 carbine.

And with modern soft points it’s basically a semi auto 357 magnum. And then…. There is Buffalo Bore.

Don’t know where you got the idea it can’t penetrate. That’s what it’s famous for in its range of about 200 yards.


83 posted on 02/11/2024 2:22:11 PM PST by DesertRhino (2016 Star Wars, 2020 The Empire Strikes Back, 2024... RETURN OF THE JEDI)
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To: dragnet2

[Maybe they want to determine if she was dead prior to the shooting. #47]

How did she get dead before the shooting?

[C’mon, It would not be the first time people were shocked to find a loving husband took his wife out. Happens a lot. #76]

Sure sounds like you suggested or implied the sheriff murdered her.

[No?]

I don’t know what they are investigating. But the carbine is right at 36” long. The muzzle would be less than a foot away from his face. It should have been obvious if it was self-inflicted from the powder burns. The article says he was hit at least twice. After shooting yourself in the jaw once, do you think you could hold the carbine steady enough to pull off another self-inflicted but non fatal shot to the face? It’s too farfetched to me. Seems like a lot of trouble and risk to shoot up your wife, car, and self to try and cover up domestic violence. There had already been several attempts on his life before. If he wanted her dead, he could have just shot her through the house window, quickly hid the rifle, and claimed someone hit her by mistake.


84 posted on 02/11/2024 2:22:23 PM PST by Farmerbob
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To: Farmerbob

Hey Farmerbob, is my comment below not true?

C’mon, It would not be the first time people were shocked to find a loving husband took his wife out. Happens a lot.

???


85 posted on 02/11/2024 2:27:29 PM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: Farmerbob
The article says he was hit at least twice.

Which seems a bit odd in itself. How could they not know how many times the husband was shot? Is this the same county where they opted not to conduct and autopsy on his wife...Right Farmerbob?

86 posted on 02/11/2024 2:31:43 PM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: Farmerbob
After shooting yourself in the jaw once

You're not paying attention bob. I never once suggested or implied the husband shot himself. Did you not notice that before burping up more BS?

Would it be impossible for the husband to have used an accomplice? Do you think that would be the first time ever a murderer used and accomplice to inflict injury upon himself in an effort to appear to be a victim?

??

Why are you ignoring my quesitons?

87 posted on 02/11/2024 2:36:49 PM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: dragnet2

Fine, whatever. Dragnet2 you’re right. Don’t know why I ever doubted your reasoning.


88 posted on 02/11/2024 2:39:10 PM PST by Farmerbob
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To: Farmerbob

Interesting looking book, I’ll check it out. Thanks


89 posted on 02/11/2024 3:16:46 PM PST by DesertRhino (2016 Star Wars, 2020 The Empire Strikes Back, 2024... RETURN OF THE JEDI)
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To: Farmerbob

I never said I was right. A good investigator questions everything and assumes nothing. Just the fact they exhumed the wife’s body seems to indicate they’re now looking a bit deeper than they did at the time of the event. If they would have preformed a thorough autopsy in the beginning, it might possibly have prevented them from digging her up decades later.

It should be interesting to find out why they’re exhuming her now.


90 posted on 02/11/2024 3:23:45 PM PST by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: DesertRhino

Please


91 posted on 02/11/2024 4:26:48 PM PST by BAN-ONE
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To: wardaddy

Spooky. I had a girlfriend who did a few things like that, that directly involved me.

I could think of no explanation at the time for how she did it. And I still can’t explain it, other than that some people must actually experience ESP.


92 posted on 02/11/2024 7:38:42 PM PST by Pelham (President Eisenhower. Operation Wetback 1953-54)
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To: Rockingham
...moral satisfaction of justice and helping the family of the victim.

Even with that noble or altruistic motivation, I don't see how that could apply with Sheriff Pusser's wife being exhumed.

93 posted on 02/11/2024 11:06:16 PM PST by higgmeister (In the Shadow of The Big Chicken! )
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To: higgmeister

The exhumation may help solve the crime and identify the guilty even if there is no further justice to be had because of the passage of time. This furthers the public interest and may offer solace to the family of Mrs. Pusser.


94 posted on 02/12/2024 12:11:11 AM PST by Rockingham (`)
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To: dragnet2

Very unlikely especially considering his enemies were a very vicious bunch of southerners with a track record of crime and zero hesitation to kill

Especially Nix who was a fellow Mississippian and also a sociopath


95 posted on 02/12/2024 8:20:51 AM PST by wardaddy (I have seen true anti semitism is more common in USA than I imagined. A disease in the public mind)
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To: Farmerbob

Indeed c95


96 posted on 02/12/2024 8:22:31 AM PST by wardaddy (I have seen true anti semitism is more common in USA than I imagined. A disease in the public mind)
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To: Pelham

Annette has this on occasion

She dreamed about my brothers travails for months prior

She did not however foresee her besties heart attack at 55

Wish she had

A stent likely would have saved her


97 posted on 02/12/2024 8:26:30 AM PST by wardaddy (I have seen true anti semitism is more common in USA than I imagined. A disease in the public mind)
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