The former person of interest in the case of a missing Clay County woman is now facing murder charges, according to the State Attorney's Office.
Investigators said Corey Binderim, 45, is being charged with murder and tampering with evidence in the death of 65-year-old Susan Mauldin. This information was released Saturday during a joint news conference held by the State Attorney's Office, Clay County Sheriff's Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mauldin was reported missing on Oct. 25, 2019, after she was last seen in her Harbor Island neighborhood in Clay County.
Police named contractor Binderim, as a person of interest in the case early on in the investigation. He was doing remodeling work on Mauldin's home when she disappeared. According to Mauldin's neighbors, he didn't finish the work, and Mauldin wanted her deposit back. Neighbors said Mauldin told them she felt intimidated by Binderim.
On Jan. 21, The Federal Bureau of Investigation Jacksonville Evidence Response Team began searching an area the size of a baseball diamond in the Chesser Island Road Landfill in Folkston, Ga., according to the FBI.
After searching 7,170 tons of debris, on Jan. 29, a portion of a skull was found. The next morning crews resumed searching and recovered several other remains, the FBI said.
Those remains were sent to the Medical Examiners Office for identification. On Jan. 30, dental records proved those remains were that of Mauldin, according to the FBI.
"We received confirmation that Mrs. Mauldin’s dental records were a match and that there was no doubt that we finally found her," Special Agent in Charge Rachel Rojas said of the FBI Jacksonville.
On Friday night, Binderim was detained. He is charged with the murder of Mauldin along with tampering with evidence, the State Attorney's Office said.
"This lady didn't have to die. As you follow this case and information is revealed to what happened, it is deeply saddening, and I am personally affected by that," Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels said.
During the search, over 7,300 tons of waste was processed and over 200 people assisted, according to the FBI, searching for 10 days. Daniels said early on in the investigation, detectives had reason to believe the Rosemary Hill Solid Waste Management Facility in Clay County was a place of interest. Waste from there is moved to the Chesser Island Road Landfill.
"It was heartbreaking for all of us," Rojas said. "We’ve come to know a lot about Mrs. Mauldin through this investigation and we know that she was cherished by many people in the community, but we’re also encouraged because it was the confirmation of what we believed all along, and now we are able to take this very big step forward towards justice for her because she certainly didn’t deserve to be taken away from us in this way," she said.
Mauldin's neighbors said they were happy to hear there will be justice for their friend.
"I think there will be a lot of crying," neighbor Pat Ritchie said. "We'll miss her, but we're happy for her. We hope it wasn't too bad for her."
According to Rojas, this is the first case for the FBI Laboratory where it has been successful at recovering human remains that have been processed in a landfill. She credited that to the partnerships of all entities involved in the search.
"This tireless effort is worth recognition because this is like searching for a needle in a haystack," State Attorney Melissa Nelson added.
An effort that has yielded some comfort.
"We're all consoled, and now we can have a funeral and put her to rest," Ritchie said.
An autopsy will be done this week to determine a cause of death, according to Nelson. Binderim will be arraigned this week in Clay County. He also has a court date Thursday in Duval County on an unrelated forgery charge connected to another remodeling job.