FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. – Bringing at the very least a sense of closure to the friends and loved ones of a Fleming Island woman who had been missing since October, investigators announced Saturday that they located the 65-year-old’s remains and that a man has been charged in her murder.
Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels said in addition to being charged with Susan Mauldin’s murder, Corey Binderim, 45, was charged with tampering with evidence. The contractor, who was once hired by Mauldin to do housework, has been in the Duval County jail on an unrelated forgery charge.
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On Saturday, Daniels revealed that detectives first identified the Rosemary Hill Waste Management transfer facility in Clay County as a place of interest. He said detectives learned it moved waste to the Chesser Island Landfill in Folkston, Georgia, where investigators scoured through 7,300 tons of waste before finding Mauldin’s remains.
READ: Man charged with murder after remains of missing Fleming Island woman found | Sources: Missing Clay County woman’s remains found in landfill search
Rachael Rojas, the FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge, laid out this timeline of the investigation, which was conducted over a 10-day period:
Jan. 20
Investigators set up and arrived at the Chesser Island Landfill. A total of 213 personnel members were called through the week to assist, including special agents, deputies, corrections officers, administrative personnel and medical staff, all working 12-hour shifts.
Jan. 21
Investigators began the search, arriving each day in the early morning hours. They would attend a safety brief and began searching at sunrise, taking advantage of as much daylight as possible.
Each day during the search, there were between 70 to 90 personnel members on site, including 40 people who were searching. They were divided into teams that rotated constantly so that medical staff could evaluate them, ensuring everyone stayed hydrated as they searched an area that was approximately the size of a baseball diamond.
Jan. 29
A Clay County corrections officer comes across what appeared to be a portion of a human skull. The search was paused, and the medical examiner was contacted.
Jan. 30
In the morning, an FBI employee located additional remains in the same general area where the skull was found. Later that day, investigators received confirmation that Mauldin’s dental records matched the skull that was found.
Jan. 31.
The FBI revealed to the public that the search “yielded several items of interest in the investigation.” An FBI spokesperson said items were undergoing testing. News4Jax sources confirm human remains were found.
Feb. 1
The State Attorney’s Office, FBI and Clay County Sheriff’s Office all state that the human remains found during the search belong to Susan Mauldin. Investigators also announce Binderim was charged with murder and tampering with evidence.