Chicago man pleads no-contest in killing of real estate agent

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A suburban Chicago man has pleaded no contest to killing a popular real estate agent in Cambridge, as she was showing him a house.

James Hole, 35, of Brookfield, Ill., is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 26 in Jefferson County.

He struck a plea deal, in which an arson charge and two burglary counts were dropped.

But Hole still faces life in prison for first-degree intentional homicide, and the judge will have option of setting a parole eligibility date.

Authorities said he killed 71-year-old Ann Nelson, 71, of Cambridge in March of this year.

Prosecutors said Hole admitted strangling the woman and beating her with a fireplace poking device.

He also allegedly stole valuables from her purse, and started the house on fire.

Tags: wisconsin news, cambridge, homicide, real, estate, agent