He first turned his attention to the Dixie Mafia and the State Line Mob, two gangs that operated on the line between Tennessee and Mississippi and made thousands of dollars off of the illegal sale of moonshine. Shortly after they passed the New Hope Methodist Church, a fast-moving car came alongside theirs and the occupants opened fire, killing Pauline and leaving Pusser for dead. Choose wisely! But few people in Adamsville believed that. These witness statements and others lead people to believe that perhaps Buford Pusser had been poisoned. Buford Pusser was sheriff of McNairy County, Tennessee, and was portrayed in the 1973 movie Walking Tall., The festivals website says Pusser was elected McNairy County Sheriff in 1964 and that he was shot eight times, knifed seven times and destroyed 87 whiskey stills in 1965 alone.. The last man on Bufords list wasKirksey Nix, Jr. Legend says he voluntarily went to prison to avoid the sheriff. Suddenly the occupants opened fire on the Pussers car, killing Pauline and wounding Pusser. Note: I see this post as history, so I do not mean any disrespect to Mrs. Pusser (Pauline) who did not make it, but instead a celebration of a hero who was not afraid to take on the bad guys and vindicate h is wife's tragic. Did Buford Pusser have a black deputy? This article has been re-published from Synova Ink with Permission. It seemed, that Pussers long fight for justice was finally over. Attendees met at the fairgrounds where Pusser left before he was killed in a car accident. Buford Pusser And His Cold Blooded Revenge Of His Wife There has surely been times when something unfortunate is bestowed upon on by the acts of another and we think "I want revenge!" Though. His wife, Pauline, was shot in the head twice when she and Buford were attacked by assailants in a car in 1967, the museums website says. The museum is in her childhood home, with her bedroom still the same as a girl growing up for visitors to see, preserved as it was . (LogOut/ When reading about this mans exploits, an old Elvis Presley song came to mind. You are using an out of date browser. With Bo Svenson, Lurene Tuttle, Forrest Tucker, Leif Garrett. Although everyone in town knew he had a price on his head, the case was closed quickly and the records were sealed by court order. Crashing into a roadside embankment at 100 mph, Buford was thrown out of the car which promptly burst into flames. And there were plenty of officers, even younger ones now, who told her they became law enforcement officers because they were inspired from watching the "Walking Tall" movies.. Griselda Blanco The Godmother of Cocaine, The Story Behind the Declaration of Independence. Although Buford Pusser drove his souped-up Corvette at high rates of speed, he was never that reckless. She loved being from here, and after her father died and her mother had already been killed before thatthe town of Adamsville raised her, and she never forgot that.. The legendary lawmen lay on the ground near his beloved Corvette with a broken neck. Struck by two rounds on the left side of his jaw, Pusser was left for dead. A POST FROM THURSDAY MORNING ON THE SHERIFF BUFORD PUSSER FESTIVAL FACEBOOK PAGE READS: "WE ARE SADDENED TO SHARE THE NEWS THAT DWANA PUSSER PASSED AWAY. On his way home from the local county fair, he hit an embankment and was killed after being ejected from the car. She actually brought that picture here on the day Billy Graham died, Mullis said. Nix was later found to be involved in the murder of Judge Vincent Shelley and his wife in Biloxi, Mississipi. Buford Pusser shortly before his death, in the car in which he had his accident. Could he really be gone? In January 1975, Gagliardi died in prison of a drug overdose. Deep in the heart of Dixie lies a hidden evil. Was Buford Pusser murdered? hi all, if you are a Pusser fan and Mopar fan then this is may be of interest. After the success of the 2004 film, Walking Tall: The Payback was released in 2007 direct-to-video. In 1974, he was killed in a car accident. Hwy 64 On August 21, 1974, Sheriff Buford Pusser died in a fiery crash four miles west of Adamsville when his Corvette left the road, hitting an embankment. Later, in 1969, White was shot and killed outside a motel in Mississippi. The passing of the daughter of Buford Pusser, famed sheriff of McNairy County in the 1960s and '70s memorialized in the "Walking Tall" movie franchise, was posted on the Sheriff Buford Pusser Festival Facebook page. Sheriff Buford Pusser identified Kirksey McCord Nix Jr as the man behind his wife, Pauline Bussers murder. He was Adamsville's police chief and constable from 1962 to 1964. No one put much effort into the investigation. Then, he moved to Chicago and became a local wrestler. Another witness claimed he saw Buford Pusser leave that evening and he tore out of the parking lot like some rowdy teenager. Jimmy Buffett refers to an altercation between Pusser and himself in the songs "Presents To Send You" and "Semi-True Stories" (from the albums A1A and Beach House on the Moon, respectively). When the men asked the impressionable young Ronnie Anderson if he wanted to ride along for a night on the town, he had no idea what was about to go down. Ervin claimed that Pusser's death was caused by drunk driving without a seat belt. It's been 47 years since his wife, Pauline, died in an ambush, which some believe was an assassination attempt against Pusser. "We are saddened to share the news that Dwana Pusser passed away. Sign up to view our weekly e-editions each Wednesday with just a click. Create a password that only you will remember. As a way of saying Thank You when you sign up for Synovas true crime newsletter, you will get herGrim JusticeeBook as a free gift! He definitely left a mark in history. Hed built a reputation as a sheriff tough on crime and moonshine in McNairy County, without using a gun too often. The world knew nothing about the Dixie Mafia until the murders of Judge Vincent Sherry and his wife Margaret in 1987. Shirley Smith had somehow slipped from the passenger side of the car without injury, but White was shot in the forehead. Dwana, 57, was 16 years old when her father died in a one-car crash coming home from the fair in 1973. For a giant of a man 6 ft 6 in tall 250 lb that would not have affected him very much. As a result, Nix will serve the remainder of his life in isolation. Nix was later sentenced to isolation for the rest of his life. Dwana died Wednesday night. Crashed and on fire by the side of the road. Let us know, we would love to shine a spotlight on their achievements. The 1973 movie Walking Tall was based on Pusser's story. In theBuford Pussercase, the controversy surrounding his life was insane enough, but now his detractors are pouring manufactured facts, rumor mill stories, and manipulated truths into the story trying to defame a rough-and-tumble lawman. Memorabilia Dwana had recently brought to the museum included the red flashing light Buford had in his squad car and a photo of Buford with country music legend Johnny Cash and televangelist Billy Graham. He was killed during a poker game on September 30, 1970. It may not display this or other websites correctly. They go to meet deaththat is, they attempt suicidetwice as often as men, though men are more successful because they use surer weapons, like guns.Roger Rosenblatt (b. What can you say? As a way of saying Thank You when you sign up for Synovas true crime newsletter, you will get herGrim JusticeeBook as a free gift! Just before dawn on August 12, 1967, McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser got a call about a disturbance on a side road just outside of town. Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. Wouldnt that put his child in danger? The manufacturing company investigated the wreckage and said there was no manufacturing default, and it didnt look like it had been tampered with. He married Pauline Mullins on December 5, 1959. "That's another misconception. Not long after the shooting, he named his four assassins, as well as Kirksey McCord Nix Jr., leader of the Dixie Mafia, as the one who orchestrated the ambush. Many locals saw him at the fair. Much of the root of the problem stemmed from the crime rings local to the area, which included the notorious Dixie Mafia. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. . The tie rods had been sawed in two. He was over 6 feet tall, with a robust frame and lots of red freckles. Several movies called Walking Tall have been made about his life that depicts the man who cleaned up a town, got caught in the middle of an assassination attempt, and spent the rest of his life hell-bent on vengeance for those who had hurt his family. n 1969, White was shot and killed outside a motel in Mississippi. Im also a big fan of technology and Im always looking for new ways to use it to make the world a better place. Her husband Tommy was considered a "State-Liner" who'd hang out in establishments that Pusser's credited with shutting down. A post from Thursday morning on the Sheriff Buford Pusser . Synova works directly with the victims families to give them a voice and to generate leads for law enforcement. A Buford Pusser Festival is held each May in his hometown of Adamsville, Tennessee. So who was killed to avenge the blood of Pauline Pusser? The crash site is marked with a monument, and Hwy 64 has been named the Buford Pusser Highway in his honor. View Source Share Save to Suggest Edits Memorial Photos Flowers Memorials Region North America No autopsy of Pusser's body was performed. Pusser died on August 21, 1974, of injuries sustained in a one-car automobile accident at 351221N 882735.7W. Find out what fuelled this intriguing story of murder and revenge. Pusser says, "I got to him and I was screaming daddy daddy daddy." Bivins published this book about the wild times along the state line back in the 60s. By 1967, hed been shot three times, killed several hitmen who tried to kill him, and was considered a local hero. Pusser returned fire and killed Hathcock. Bivins is referring to an ambush along New Hope Roadwhere even Pusser was critically wounded. Mike saw many things that a kid shouldn't have to but Buford wanted him to be aware of what was going on in his world. He had several attempts on his life before the one in 1967. Somehow his death was tied to the legend of Buford Pusser anyways. I do not own the photos used in this post. Earlier in the day, Pusser contracted with Bing Crosby Productions in Memphis to portray himself in the sequel to Walking Tall. Pusser died on August 21, 1974 from injuries sustained in a one-car automobile accident. Dwana Pusser says, "And it's hard enough when you lose your mother at six years old, and you know she's been murdered And you're thinking why would someone murder your momma. Rumor had it the brake lines had been cut on his car but if this was the case why were there 545 feet of skid marks left down the highway? But Hollywood rarely cares about the facts. His death resulted from the crash of his Corvette on Highway 64 near Adamsville. Pusser's memorial service was held at the Adamsville Church of Christ. Together we can solve some of these cases. Nix later found himself in prison for a separate murder and was eventually sentenced to isolation for the rest of his life. Im really enjoying the design and layout of your blog. 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