Prime Crime: The Murder of Susan Mauldin and the Investigation into Cory Bindrum

Disappearance and Initial Investigation

• 💡 Susan Mauldin, a 65-year-old British widow, was reported missing from her Fleming Island, Florida home on October 24th.
• 🏠 Her friend, Phyllis Yates, found Susan's car in the garage, the TV on, and the house in disarray, which was uncharacteristic of the meticulous Susan.
• 🔍 Investigators noted signs of a struggle, including a displaced picture frame and figurines, and discovered a small drop of blood in the living room, escalating the case from a missing person to a potential homicide.

Contractor as Prime Suspect

• 💰 Susan was having significant issues with her contractor, Cory Bindrum, who had taken over $12,000 for a bathroom renovation and failed to complete the work.
• ⚠️ Susan had become increasingly uncomfortable with Bindrum after he made inappropriate comments and asked for a loan, leading her to demand her money back or involve the police.
• 🚗 Bindrum was the last person known to have seen Susan alive, claiming he returned her money and left her house in good condition, a narrative contradicted by evidence of blood at the scene.

Evidence and Investigation Deep Dive

• 🔬 Forensic analysis revealed blood spatter in Susan's home and signs of a cleanup, solidifying Bindrum as the primary suspect.
• 🐶 A cadaver dog alerted to the presence of human decomposition in Bindrum's storage unit on a bag he had removed from Susan's home.
• 📱 Cell phone data indicated Bindrum had deleted communications from the day of Susan's disappearance, and his truck was seized for processing.

Landfill Discovery and Identification

• 📍 Bindrum's movements on the day of the disappearance were tracked, including a visit to the Rosemary Hill Landfill where his truck's weight decreased significantly, suggesting he disposed of something substantial.
• 🗑️ Investigators, coordinating with the FBI, searched approximately 7,600 tons of garbage at the Chesser Island Road Landfill in Folkston, Georgia.
• 🦴 Human remains, including a lower jawbone later identified through dental records as Susan Mauldin's, were discovered in contractor bags matching those purchased by Bindrum.
• 🩸 DNA analysis of fingernails found with the remains revealed Susan's DNA and that of an unknown male, while Bindrum's DNA was excluded from one fingernail.

Trial and Sentencing

• ⚖️ Cory Bindrum was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, burglary, and tampering with evidence.
• 🗣️ A jailhouse informant testified that Bindrum confessed to hitting and strangling Susan, mentioning feeling something break.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Despite defense arguments about conflicting DNA evidence and Bindrum's prior criminal record, the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder, burglary, and tampering with evidence.
• 😥 The jury recommended a sentence of life imprisonment without parole, with seven jurors voting for death and five for life, as Florida requires at least eight votes for the death penalty.