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Princeton ex-soccer star Matthew Hertgen accused of brutally killing brother, family cat: What we know so far
Matthew Hertgen allegedly killed his younger brother, Joseph, and is now facing various charges including first-degree murder and one count of animal cruelty.
A former college soccer player is being charged with brutally murdering his younger brother and their family cat in an apartment near Princeton University. 31-year-old Matthew Hertgen is now in police custody in Mercer County, New Jersey. The crime took place in a wealthy condo complex near the Ivy League school.
Matthew allegedly killed his younger brother, 26-year-old Joseph Hertgen, and is now facing various charges including first-degree murder, several weapons charges and one count of animal cruelty. The brothers were believed to have been roommates.
Both Joseph and Matthew were college soccer stars. While Joseph played for the University of Michigan, Matthew played at Wesleyan University. The victim used to work in finance as an analyst at Locust Point Capital, NewsNation reported.
On Saturday, February 22, a 911 call was placed around 11:15 pm, reporting a fire and a dead body. Matthew allegedly beat and stabbed Joseph to death, and even set the family cat on fire, a law enforcement source told the New York Post.
What did the police find?
Matthew called 911 to report a fire and a dead body inside the family house, following which cops arrived at the Michelle Mews apartment complex. They entered to find Joseph’s bloodied corpse along with the dead cat. Matthew was quickly arrested and charged with murder.
“It was gruesome. It was way overboard, he even killed the cat, setting him on fire,” said a cop source at the scene, according to the outlet.
A high-ranking New Jersey police source said, “The brutality of the homicide and in an Ivy League town shocked most detectives.”
Joseph was a superstar soccer player who garnered various accolades beginning at Toms River North High School, and continuing at the University of Michigan. He graduated with a bachelor’s in finance and accounting from Michigan University’s Stephen M. Ross business school. The brothers were members of a wealthy family that moved from a $1.1 million home in Toms River to Princeton.
“It’s incredibly tragic. Matthew Hertgen came from what appeared to be a perfect, all-American family. No one could have predicted that something like this would happen. To have it end in such violence is shocking, and the loss of his brother Joseph is devastating,” another high-ranking police source said.
If convicted, Matthew faces up to 30 years to life in prison. Joseph’s official cause of death will be determined following autopsy results.
Matthew Hertgen’s chilling Facebook posts
Matthew reportedly wrote strange verses on his Facebook page in September, which perhaps points at his fragile state of mind. “What have you created?/ Why have you created it?/ Who are you trying to strangle?” he wrote. “And what god are you serving?/ I can see the knives sharpening/ I can hear the arrows whizzing/ I can feel my heart beating/ But can he?”
“Someone sits alone in that room/ That room where the walls shake,” the poem added. “He still has a pulse/ Blood still flows through his veins/ But something is wrapped around him/ Squeezing him/ Choking him/ Suffocating him.”
“Tightly wound around his head/ Fastened deep in his throat/ Blood oozes out of his eyes,” he continued. “His ears are sparking/ His face vibrates/ He convulses, and he doesn’t stop/ He’s lost/ He’s asleep/ He’s dead.”
Matthew allegedly used a knife and a golf club to slash and beat his brother to death.
The prosecutor’s statement said, “The complaint alleges that Matthew purposely or knowingly engaged in conduct that led to the death of his younger brother and caused the death of a cat that was located within the residence.”
Matthew Hertgen described as ‘very intelligent’
Joseph Mahon, 50, who coached both brothers at Toms River North High School, told the New York Post that the Hertgens “are good people.” “His mom and dad are great. They treated me very well. They were great to me and the boys, anything I would ask for them to do, they would do — on and off the field,” Mahon said.
Mahon described Matthew as “very intelligent, great grades … Very talented.”
Mahon said a friend called him and told him about the horrific slaying. “It’s devastating,” he said, adding that both he and Joseph’s former teammates are “gutted” by his death. “I just can’t wrap my head around it right now.”
Praising Joseph, Mahon said, “He was our best player. He was our guy. He was a leader. He did it in the classroom and on the field. He made Toms River North a better place to be.”
He added, “For me to come to work and see him walking down the hallways, he always had a smile on his face, and I think anyone who you talk to will say that.”
Not just Matthew and Joseph, even their eldest brother, David Jr., was a standout athlete. They were raised by their mother Debra Hertgen and their father, David, who worked at WiLine Networks – a high-tech firm based in Princeton – for years. The firm had an estimated annual revenue of $25 million to $100 million. David serves as its President and Chief Financial Officer at present, according to his LinkedIn.
