Matthew Hertgen, a former Wesleyan University soccer player, has been charged with first-degree murder and weapons offenses in the death of his younger brother, Joseph Hertgen.
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Matthew, 31, stands accused of assaulting his younger brother, Joseph, 26, with a knife and a golf club before allegedly gouging out his eye during an incident in a Princeton, New Jersey, apartment on February 22, according to the probable-cause affidavit obtained by NBC News. He is also charged with animal cruelty after authorities accused him of setting the family’s cat on fire, according to the New York Post.
A New Jersey man, Matthew Hertgen, 31, accused of brutally killing his brother, attempted suicide in jail hours after a virtual court appearance. Facing severe charges, including animal cruelty, he may have mental health issues, experts suggest. pic.twitter.com/XZiukiqIqe
— Nyra Kraal (@NyraKraal) March 1, 2025
About an hour before Joseph was killed, he received a text from the pair’s other brother, urging him to reach out if he needed assistance with their troubled sibling, according to the probable-cause statement.
The surviving brother said he told Joseph that Matthew was struggling with “visions,” to which Joseph replied, “will do” and thanked him. The brother later texted Matthew, inviting him on a hike the next day and encouraging him to “hang in there,” but Matthew did not respond, according to the document.
According to the probable-cause statement, on Feb. 22, Matthew reported to 911 that there was a fire and a deceased person at a residence in Princeton. He claimed that Joseph had been dead for approximately 30 to 40 minutes before making the call.
First Responders Discover Grisley Scene After Matthew Hertgen Called 911
When dispatchers arrived, they discovered Joseph lying deceased on the dining room floor, surrounded by a large pool of blood. He appeared to have suffered blunt force trauma to the head, along with severe lacerations to his chest and abdomen.
His right eye was reportedly “not visible”, while blood-stained utensils and a plate sat on the dining table.
According to the filing, Matthew reportedly told officers he had fallen “into a fit of madness” as they placed him in handcuffs.
According to NBC News, the surviving brother recounted spending several hours with Matthew before the incident, describing him as “extremely distressed, despondent,” and haunted by “terrifying visions.”
He informed authorities that Matthew had been battling “severe mental illness” for the past five years.
The Hertgen brothers grew up in Toms River, New Jersey, and excelled as soccer players at Toms River North High School. Matthew played soccer at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, while Joseph joined the University of Michigan, where he earned Academic All-Big Ten honors three times.
Matthew Hertgen faces the possibility of 30 years to life in state prison if convicted of first-degree murder, according to the prosecutor’s office. He has reportedly agreed to remain in custody until his next court appearance on March 24.