On October 14, 2024, after four hours of deliberation, jurors convicted 49-year-old Corey Binderim of first-degree murder and two additional charges related to the death of 65-year-old Susan Elizabeth Mauldin. The verdict marks the conclusion of a high-stakes trial where emotional testimony and evidence terrorized the courtroom, painting Bindeirim as both a desperate contractor and a calculated killer.
Susan Mauldin, described as a widow who lived alone, vanished from her home on Fleming Island, Florida, after complaining vocally about the shoddy renovations and unresponsiveness of Binderim, the contractor she had hired. The turmoil started when he failed to complete the $12,000 bathroom remodeling project Mauldin had entrusted him with. Details revealed during the trial illustrated her mounting frustration, with threats of police involvement looming large as she sought to reclaim her lost investment. Sadly, Mauldin's car remained parked at her residence and her friends reported she had made no plans for travel, intensifying concerns about her sudden disappearance.
The search for Mauldin ended tragically when her skeletal remains were discovered three months later, dumped carelessly at a landfill in Folkston, Georgia. The autopsy confirmed she had been strangled, instigated by the pervasive belief among investigators and friends alike, connecting her distress over the construction work with her murder.
The investigation soon hinged on Binderim, revealed through various means including purchase records, surveillance footage, and cellphone communications. Initially cooperative, Binderim later decided to vanish, only to be apprehended on unrelated forgery charges. The timeline quickly escalated when, on March 3, 2020, he faced several charges including first-degree murder and evidence tampering.
Throughout the trial, Binderim's demeanor ranged from stoic to unphased, even as harrowing photographs of Mauldin's remains were presented. Testimonies from various witnesses, including former inmates who claimed Binderim confessed to choking Mauldin during a confrontation about the renovations, added layers of horror to the narrative. The inmate recounted how Binderim allegedly told him, "He just said he shut her up," providing grim insight directly from the defendant.
Prosecutors painted Binderim as spiraling, fearing the exposure of his past troubles with drug addiction and the potential fallout from Mauldin's complaints. Prosecutor Pamela Hazel argued forcefully, stating, "On October 24, 2019, instead of bringing a $12,000 check he did not have, he brought this sturdy demo contractor bag and after strangling Ms. Mauldin to death, he used it as her tomb." This rhetoric reverberated through the courtroom as jurors considered the weight of Binderim’s actions.
Victim impact testimony played a valuable role as friends of Mauldin described her relentless complaints about Binderim. This included her chronicling of appointments he missed, information documented with painful precision—a journal of disappointment. Yet, the defense pushed back, questioning the credibility of investigative procedures. They noted the absence of direct DNA matches linking Binderim to crime scenes, arguing he merely used typical tools and supplies necessary for his work.
Despite these arguments, the prosecution's review of her remains and the physical evidence linking Binderim to Mauldin's murder proved compelling. The trial featured graphic depictions of the remains—piles of clothing and bones discarded among the refuse, presenting jurors with haunting visuals of the consequences of Binderim's alleged actions.
Once jurors returned with the verdict, the trial commenced its penalty phase, where they will now deliberate over whether Binderim should face the death penalty for his crimes. This next stage carries its own gravity, as the consequences of murder can lead to life-altering decisions for both the accused and the victim's family.
The fate of Corey Binderim now remains uncertain, resting on the outcomes of the sentencing phase, which is scheduled to begin shortly. With emotions still raw from the trial, another chapter looms on the horizon as the court weighs the future of the man charged with silencing Susan Mauldin forever. The community of Clay County is left to confront this tragic saga—a reminder of the fraught relationship between contractor and client gone horrifyingly wrong.
