It’s a question that has confounded just about anyone who has learned of the untimely death of Laura Floden: Why would anyone want to carry out such a vicious attack?
Prosecutors Thursday provided the first glimpse of a possible motive in Floden’s slaying when they filed new charges against two men being held in the Hanover Park woman’s death nearly two months ago.
Ernest C. Byrge, 28, of Streamwood, and Pedro Diaz Jr., 30, of Elgin, faced two additional charges Thursday in the Rolling Meadows branch of Cook County Circuit Court. Both were charged with burglary and felony murder because the slaying is alleged to have occurred during a burglary.
The two men, being held without bond, already faced first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, vehicular hijacking, arson, concealment of a person’s death and unlawful restraint charges.
Cook County Assistant State’s Atty. Mary Jennings said the new charges were “appropriate” and related to the theft of Floden’s car, suggesting the woman may have been murdered during an attempt to steal her 1988 four-door Oldsmobile and rob her of $14.
“That’s kind of the way I had it figured,” said Floden’s former husband, Michael Kinney, who had begun reconciling with his ex-wife in the weeks before she was murdered. “She was killed for $14 in pocket money; what a shame.”
Prosecutors were reluctant to speak about the new charges Thursday, saying they didn’t want to jeopardize the case against the two men by revealing too many of the details they plan to present during a trial.
Both men have pleaded innocent to the charges of murdering the 34-year-old Floden.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office said Floden died of strangulation and blunt trauma, with most of the injuries to her head and neck. Her arms and legs also were severely bruised in the attack.
The woman’s body was found covered with brush in a Hoffman Estates field shortly after Streamwood police discovered her automobile burning in the Streamwood High School athletic field.
According to authorities, Floden met Byrge and Diaz at a Hanover Park tavern near her home at about 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 16. The bar’s owner said he had seen Floden share drinks at the tap with one of the men.
Floden then allegedly left the bar with the two men about an hour later and ended up at the Elgin home of Diaz’s brother, authorities said.
Once in the driveway, prosecutors say, Diaz asked Floden if she wanted to go into the house for a beer. They allege he then opened her car door and began punching her, breaking her nose.
Prosecutors maintain the two men then kicked, struck and choked Floden until she was unconscious, then placed her in the backseat.
The men are accused of driving Floden’s car to a muddy field in Hoffman Estates, where they strangled and beat the woman to death. They then dumped Floden’s body face down in a muddy field next to a construction sight in Hoffman Estates, according to the charges.
Next, Byrge and Diaz allegedly drove Floden’s car to a field behind Streamwood High School and torched the car at about 2 a.m. Aug. 17 to conceal her murder.
Hours after the murder, Byrge turned himself in to police and led officers to the woman’s body. He is being held at Cook County Jail.
Prosecutors have said the case against Byrge and Diaz may be a capital-punishment case. Diaz is being held without bond in the DuPage County Jail because he was arrested there on a previous charge.
