In the summer of 2017, a chilling story unfolded in the small community of Wilmer, Alabama, surrounding the disappearance and death of 60-year-old Susan Mayo. Mayo, a female resident of Wilmer, was last seen alive on June 17, 2017. However, a week passed before the Mobile County Sheriff's Office was notified of her disappearance. As investigators began to look into her case, all activity on her bank account and cell phone had ceased, leading them to suspect foul play.
The investigation soon focused on those closest to Susan Mayo, particularly her 32-year-old son, Nathaniel Sebastian, with whom she shared a home on Glenwood Way. Authorities found Sebastian to be evasive and unhelpful during questioning, making him the prime suspect in his mother's vanishing. The case took a grim turn on September 6, 2017, after a three-month-long investigation. On that day, armed with a new search warrant, detectives returned to the property. As they prepared to search under the porch, Sebastian made a startling confession to the investigators on the scene, stating, “OK my mama's under the front porch. Y'all got me”.
Following his admission, authorities discovered Susan Mayo's body buried about three feet beneath the porch, concealed inside a 55-gallon drum. The cause of death was determined to be a gunshot to the head. The investigation revealed disturbing details about the crime. Prosecutors stated that after shooting his mother, Sebastian took a nap. Upon waking, he reportedly punched his mother's corpse multiple times before placing her in the barrel and burying it.
Nathaniel Sebastian was arrested and faced multiple charges, including murder, abuse of a corpse, and promoting prison contraband. The latter charge was added after a homemade handcuff key was found in his mouth while he was being booked. Susan Mayo's 81-year-old mother, Doris Clark, was also arrested and charged with obstruction of justice for her alleged role in hindering the investigation into her daughter's murder. During her arrest, she appeared distressed and denied any knowledge of the murder. Following his arrest, Sebastian's bond was increased from $100,000 to $250,000.
