On Oct. 5, Virginia realtor Soren Arn-Oelschlegel sold a house.
“Congratulations to my out of town buyer,” a gleeful Arn-Oelschlegel wrote on Facebook. “I’m so happy I was able to find him a home that fit his needs! Do you want to be a happy buyer too? Call me!”
Three days later, he was dead in a bizarre murder-suicide reportedly carried out by that very buyer—who was apparently dissatisfied with his purchase. Arn-Oelschlegel’s client, 84-year-old Albert A. Baglione, had been living in Alabama and signed a contract to buy the Portsmouth, Virginia property sight-unseen, sources told local outlet WAVY. He and Arn-Oelschlegel were reportedly onsite for a final walkthrough before Baglione took formal possession of the home.
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Shortly before 6 p.m. on Oct. 8, police responded to the house on Bolling Road, and encountered Baglione, the Portsmouth, Virginia Police Department said in a press release.
“Mr. Baglione told police that he had killed his realtor,” the statement said. “At the time of the encounter, Mr. Baglione had a weapon in his hand. After his statement, he closed his door and police heard a gunshot. Police established a secure perimeter around the residence. SWAT then entered the building to find that he had taken his own life. Police located 41-year-old Soren Arn-Oelschlegel inside the residence with a fatal gunshot wound.”
A spokeswoman for Long & Foster, the brokerage at which Arn-Oelschlegel worked, told The Daily Beast in an emailed statement that all team members are being offered grief counseling.
“Our Long & Foster family is devastated by the tragic loss of our beloved colleague and friend, Soren Arn-Oelschlegel,” the statement said. “Soren exemplified our values of trust, family and excellence in all aspects of his life, and his loss will be felt across our industry and community.”
Arn-Oelschlegel’s parents were unable to be reached. Baglione owned a hair replacement business, according to public records. Family members and associates of Baglione’s were unreachable for comment on Tuesday.
One of Baglione’s neighbors, who declined to be named, said something seemed off about him.
“He didn’t look right at all,” the neighbor told WTKR. “He kept driving up and down the street all day.”
Tales of real estate brokers being violently attacked, robbed, and sexually assaulted have become all too common in recent years. Most of these crimes are planned out in advance, rather than being opportunistic, according to the National Association of Realtors. The group recommends all realtors carry a “panic button” with them at all times, in case they encounter danger. In 2019, the latest year for which data is available, 87 real estate professionals died on the job, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics.
Arn-Oelschlegel was recognized as the top salesman in his office for the month of July. Aside from real estate sales, he managed a home inspection company for his father, a general contractor and home inspector. His mother was also a realtor, according to his official company bio.
“When she would show houses, young Soren would show houses,” it says. “One could say Soren has now continued the family business. Being immersed in these fields has given him a broader understanding of houses and an edge up in the business of helping you find the home of your dreams.”
Friends said Arn-Oelschlegel had a “magnetic personality” and was deeply involved in the local community.
A candlelight vigil will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. to celebrate Arn-Oelschlegel’s life.
