In the year 1967, a serene road in Tennessee became the backdrop for a tragic ambush that left Sheriff Buford Pusser injured and his wife, Pauline, dead.
Years have passed, and now fresh investigative teams are revisiting the infamous case. In the first installment of a three-part series, Sheryl McCollum enlists the expertise of author and researcher Mike Elam, seasoned homicide detective Jason White, eyewitness Dennis Hathcock, and former death investigator Danny Cupples to delve into the true events of that fateful night in August.
They present evidence that questions the official story: firearms being swapped between cars, a distressed officer issuing threats at a woman’s residence, and a teenage observer uncovering parts of Pauline’s remains along the road.
For those interested in more details about the Pusser case, Sheryl’s earlier Zone 7 episodes provide further insights:
Guest Bios:
Mike Elam is an ex-deputy of Benton County and an author. His work, Buford Pusser: The Other Story, explores his own cold case investigation into the 1967 attack that claimed Pauline Pusser’s life.
Jason White is a veteran homicide detective with the Tulsa Police Department, a featured investigator on A&E’s “The First 48,” and the podcast host of KGRA’s “Into the Fire.”
Danny Cupples is Tennessee’s first Chief Death Investigator and a certified forensic death investigator who has trained elite forensic teams in New York. Danny teaches infant death investigations at MTSU and continues to serve on a cold case unit.
Dennis Hathcock was a teenager when he saw Sheriff Buford Pusser on the night of the ambush, later discovering critical evidence along New Hope Road.
About the Host
Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an Emmy Award-winning CSI, a writer for CrimeOnline, forensic and crime scene expert for “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace,” and co-author of the textbook, “Cold Case: Pathways to Justice.”
She is the founder and director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, a national collaboration that advances techniques for solving cold cases and assists families and law enforcement with unsolved homicides, missing persons, and kidnappings.
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[Feature Photo: Investigators look at the Pussers’ vehicle after the supposed ‘ambush.’ Inset: Pauline Mullins Pusser/Tennessee Bureau of Investigation]
