Louis Conover Jr. has pleaded no contest to first-degree murder charges in the beating deaths of his parents.

In exchange for his plea, the Adams County District Attorney dropped weapons and escape charges, and will not seek the death penalty.

Prosecutors said the 43-year-old beat his parents - Louis and Coleen Conover - to death with a baseball bat on Feb. 10, 2003.

A family member discovered the bodies two days later.

Police said Conover had lived with his parents for some time, and they asked him to move out shortly before they were killed.

The escape charge stems from an incident last November when Conover tried to rappel from the roof of the Adams County Courthouse.

District Judge Terri Harder accepted the plea and ordered a pre-sentence investigation.

The murder charges carry with them a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 7.