Jed Lipinski

Mike began making public records requests. He read the police reports and studied the crime scene photographs from the ambush. Two things immediately stood out. One was the blood spatter. He knew that blood spatter often tells a story about how a crime occurred.

Mike began making public records requests. He read the police reports and studied the crime scene photographs from the ambush. Two things immediately stood out. One was the blood spatter. He knew that blood spatter often tells a story about how a crime occurred.

Buford had claimed that he and Pauline were inside the car when the ambushers opened fire, wounding Buford and killing Pauline. As such, you'd expect the blood spatter to be all over the car's interior. But that's not the only place the blood spatter was.

Buford had claimed that he and Pauline were inside the car when the ambushers opened fire, wounding Buford and killing Pauline. As such, you'd expect the blood spatter to be all over the car's interior. But that's not the only place the blood spatter was.

What specifically did that suggest about where the victim may have been at the time or the shooter?

What specifically did that suggest about where the victim may have been at the time or the shooter?

The second thing that stood out to Mike was the position of the shell casings.

The second thing that stood out to Mike was the position of the shell casings.

But the shell casings weren't in the middle of the road or inside Buford's Plymouth. They were on the shoulder of the road, on the opposite side of where Buford's car would have been. Pauline was said to have died from two gunshot wounds to the head. But Mike wanted to see what the autopsy report said. He called the McNary County Medical Examiner, but they didn't have it.

But the shell casings weren't in the middle of the road or inside Buford's Plymouth. They were on the shoulder of the road, on the opposite side of where Buford's car would have been. Pauline was said to have died from two gunshot wounds to the head. But Mike wanted to see what the autopsy report said. He called the McNary County Medical Examiner, but they didn't have it.

So he called the medical examiner for the state of Tennessee in Nashville. They didn't have it either. When Mike asked why, the response shocked him. I learned that one was never performed. Mike couldn't believe it. Pauline was the sheriff's wife, who had, according to Buford, been killed in a dramatic Hollywood-style ambush with no other witnesses and no viable suspects.

So he called the medical examiner for the state of Tennessee in Nashville. They didn't have it either. When Mike asked why, the response shocked him. I learned that one was never performed. Mike couldn't believe it. Pauline was the sheriff's wife, who had, according to Buford, been killed in a dramatic Hollywood-style ambush with no other witnesses and no viable suspects.

Even a cursory look at the evidence suggested Buford's version of events was highly dubious. And yet, no autopsy. The state and local medical examiners from 1967 had long since passed away. So Mike reached out to the current state medical examiner. He asked, what could have prevented the autopsy of a murder victim back in 1967?

Even a cursory look at the evidence suggested Buford's version of events was highly dubious. And yet, no autopsy. The state and local medical examiners from 1967 had long since passed away. So Mike reached out to the current state medical examiner. He asked, what could have prevented the autopsy of a murder victim back in 1967?

Mike knew that Buford, as the sheriff of McNary County, was friendly with both the local DA and the medical examiner. They must have felt sorry for Buford. Mike could easily imagine him persuading both men to bury his wife without an autopsy.

Mike knew that Buford, as the sheriff of McNary County, was friendly with both the local DA and the medical examiner. They must have felt sorry for Buford. Mike could easily imagine him persuading both men to bury his wife without an autopsy.

Mike was hooked. He would spend a good part of the next 10 years investigating Buford and the events leading up to Pauline's death. Along the way, he would uncover details no one knew about one of the South's most famous unsolved murders. Details that suggested the prime suspect in Pauline's death was her husband, Buford Pusser. That's next time on Gone South.

Mike was hooked. He would spend a good part of the next 10 years investigating Buford and the events leading up to Pauline's death. Along the way, he would uncover details no one knew about one of the South's most famous unsolved murders. Details that suggested the prime suspect in Pauline's death was her husband, Buford Pusser. That's next time on Gone South.

If you have information, story tips, or feedback you'd like to share with the Gone South team, please email us at gone south podcast at gmail.com. That's gone south podcast at gmail.com. We're on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram at Gone South Podcast. You can also sign up for our newsletter on Substack at Gone South with Jed Lipinski. Gone South is an Odyssey original podcast.

If you have information, story tips, or feedback you'd like to share with the Gone South team, please email us at gone south podcast at gmail.com. That's gone south podcast at gmail.com. We're on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram at Gone South Podcast. You can also sign up for our newsletter on Substack at Gone South with Jed Lipinski. Gone South is an Odyssey original podcast.