Person of interest in disappearance of Clay County woman appears in court

DUVAL COUNTY, Fla. — It’s been two and a half months since Susan Mauldin disappeared from her Clay County neighborhood.

The only named person of interest in her disappearance appeared in Duval County Court Wednesday on an unrelated charge.

Corey Binderim kept his head down as he pleaded not guilty. He’s accused of stealing a customer’s check while doing work at a Ponte Vedra home.

Police said 65-year-old Mauldin hired him to remodel her bathroom last year.

Her neighbor said Binderim kept stalling and Mauldin wanted her money back.

She disappeared from her home on Oct. 23, 2019.

“Everyday we walk by and we just look at it and wonder what happened to her,” neighbor Juliet Van Heerden said. “It is a long time to know nothing.”

STAY UPDATED: Download the Action News Jax app for live updates on breaking stories

Action News Jax asked the Clay County Sheriff’s Office for an update on Mauldin’s case Tuesday.

A spokesperson said they couldn’t release any new information because "investigative steps being completed are very sensitive to the successful prosecution."

“It is freaky that someone can just totally disappear without a trace,” Van Heerden said. “We pray for God’s comfort and the resolution of this.”

Binderim was still in custody in Duval County as of Wednesday. His next court date is set for Feb. 6 on the forgery charge.

© 2020 Cox Media Group