Lone Star
Lone Star is a 1996 American neo-Western mystery film written, edited, and directed by John Sayles. Set in a small town in South Texas, the film deals with a sheriff's (played by Chris Cooper) investigation into the murder of one of his predecessors (Kris Kristofferson) decades earlier. The cast also stars Joe Morton, Elizabeth Peña, Clifton James, Ron Canada, Frances McDormand and Matthew McConaughey.
Plot
Two off-duty sergeants discover a human skeleton on an old U.S. Army rifle shooting range along with a Masonic ring, a Rio County sheriff's badge, and, later, an expended .45 pistol bullet. Sam Deeds, sheriff of Frontera, Texas, begins an investigation. Forensics backs up the identity of the skeleton as Charlie Wade, the infamously corrupt sheriff who preceded Sam's father. Wade mysteriously disappeared in 1957, along with in county funds. Buddy's esteemed reputation for justice and subsequent election as Sheriff after Wade's disappearance led to the widespread belief that Buddy confronted Wade and ran him out of town.