Jed Lipinski

As they drove, The Rock told Steve that starring in Walking Tall had been a dream come true. The Rock's father, Rocky Johnson, had also been a pro wrestler. The two of them had watched the original Walking Tall over and over when The Rock was young. It was their favorite movie. According to Steve, it inspired The Rock to be a better man.

As they drove, The Rock told Steve that starring in Walking Tall had been a dream come true. The Rock's father, Rocky Johnson, had also been a pro wrestler. The two of them had watched the original Walking Tall over and over when The Rock was young. It was their favorite movie. According to Steve, it inspired The Rock to be a better man.

Like The Rock, Steve Sweat was emotionally invested in the legend of Buford Pusser as a righteous hero. And so, when Steve learned that Pauline's body was being exhumed earlier this year, he was appalled. The suggestion that Buford played a role in Pauline's death threatened to destroy his legacy.

Like The Rock, Steve Sweat was emotionally invested in the legend of Buford Pusser as a righteous hero. And so, when Steve learned that Pauline's body was being exhumed earlier this year, he was appalled. The suggestion that Buford played a role in Pauline's death threatened to destroy his legacy.

What made matters worse was that the decision to exhume her could be traced to an outsider, a former security consultant from Arkansas named Mike Elam.

What made matters worse was that the decision to exhume her could be traced to an outsider, a former security consultant from Arkansas named Mike Elam.

This is Mike Elam. In the early 1970s, when the first Walking Tall came out, Mike was a young sheriff's deputy in Benton County, Arkansas, 465 miles west of McNary County. He loved the job. He imagined being elected sheriff one day and cleaning up the county just like Buford had. but the pay was lousy.

This is Mike Elam. In the early 1970s, when the first Walking Tall came out, Mike was a young sheriff's deputy in Benton County, Arkansas, 465 miles west of McNary County. He loved the job. He imagined being elected sheriff one day and cleaning up the county just like Buford had. but the pay was lousy.

To support his family, he reluctantly took a job as the head of loss prevention for a regional grocery retailer. And yet his interest in police work never went away. He watched every episode of Dragnet. He got hooked on the JFK assassination and, later, the O.J. Simpson case. In the mid-'90s, he turned his attention to Buford Pusser,

To support his family, he reluctantly took a job as the head of loss prevention for a regional grocery retailer. And yet his interest in police work never went away. He watched every episode of Dragnet. He got hooked on the JFK assassination and, later, the O.J. Simpson case. In the mid-'90s, he turned his attention to Buford Pusser,

Mike still held the man in high regard, but certain elements of the story had always bothered him. For one, the idea that Pauline had joined Buford on a disturbance call in the middle of the night.

Mike still held the man in high regard, but certain elements of the story had always bothered him. For one, the idea that Pauline had joined Buford on a disturbance call in the middle of the night.

Then there was the route Buford took that night. As a Buford Pusser fan, Mike had visited McNary County to check out the Buford Pusser Museum and see a few of the sites. And he realized Buford could have taken a much simpler route to Hollis Jordan's Beer Hall, where the alleged disturbance took place.

Then there was the route Buford took that night. As a Buford Pusser fan, Mike had visited McNary County to check out the Buford Pusser Museum and see a few of the sites. And he realized Buford could have taken a much simpler route to Hollis Jordan's Beer Hall, where the alleged disturbance took place.

That led Mike to another question. According to Buford, the ambushers were lying in wait behind a church on a deserted country road. But how would they have known that Buford would take that road instead of the more direct route to Hollis Jordans?

That led Mike to another question. According to Buford, the ambushers were lying in wait behind a church on a deserted country road. But how would they have known that Buford would take that road instead of the more direct route to Hollis Jordans?

And so, when he got some time off work, Mike decided to reenact the ambush. He recruited some friends to pose as the assassins, a police chief from Ohio, a retired cameraman from Mississippi, and a McNary County local who knew the story.

And so, when he got some time off work, Mike decided to reenact the ambush. He recruited some friends to pose as the assassins, a police chief from Ohio, a retired cameraman from Mississippi, and a McNary County local who knew the story.

How fast were they traveling when they were trying to chase you?

How fast were they traveling when they were trying to chase you?