CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — The Clay County contractor found guilty of first-degree murder on a client of his on Oct. 14, was sentenced to life in prison in Clay County court Tuesday morning.
In addition to handing down Corey Binderim's sentence, the judge denied his motion for a new trial during the sentencing. There were 16 reasons listed in the motion as to why the contractor should be granted a new trial.
There were seven votes in favor of the death penalty by members of the jury in Binderim's trial, and five for life imprisonment without the possibility for parole from the jury, as first-degree murder is punishable by the death penalty in Florida. The threshold to move a death sentencing forward is eight votes.
Binderim was stoic and emotionless when he learned of his conviction for killing 65-year-old Susan Mauldin, who paid him $12,000 for work to be done on her Fleming Island home's bathroom.
According to police records, Binderim demolished Mauldin's bathroom and didn't finish the job.
On Oct. 24, 2019, Mauldin was reported missing. An investigation by the Clay County Sheriff's Office showed that Binderim went to a Fleming Island Home Depot the same day, and bought two 60-pound bags of concrete and large heavy-duty construction debris bags. The investigation also revealed that Binderim went to Mauldin's neighborhood and called her twice on the day, as video surveillance showed him backing his pickup truck up to her garage around 8 a.m. that morning, then leave a few minutes later.
The footage then showed Binderim went to his home for 15 minutes, then drove to Rosemary Hill Landfill in Clay County, dumping "approximately 300 pounds."
Then on Jan. 29, 2020, Mauldin's remains were found at Chesser Island Road Landfill in Folkston, Ga. Police said they knew to search Chesser Island Road Landfill because trash from Rosemary Hill is taken there.
The Florida Times-Union reported that Mauldin intended to sue Binderim. Furthermore, a friend testified during the trial that Mauldin had planned to call police.
