A former Wesleyan University soccer player is accused of murdering his younger brother, himself a former soccer player at the University of Michigan, in a violent attack near Princeton University over the weekend.
Matthew Hertgen, 31, has been charged with first-degree murder, several weapons offenses and one count of third-degree animal cruelty after his 911 call reporting “a fire and a dead body” led police in Princeton, New Jersey, to discover the bodies of his younger brother and a cat.
Police responded to the call late Saturday at the Michelle Mews Apartments in Princeton and pronounced Joseph Hertgen, 26, and the cat dead at the scene.
Joseph Hertgen sustained blunt force trauma and lacerations, presumably caused by a golf club and a knife found in his brother's possession. The cause of death has yet to be determined by an autopsy, officials say.
An ongoing multiagency investigation led to the charges, officials 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,” the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office said in a release.
Months before the alleged murder, Matthew Hertgen posted a poem describing knives, blood and pain to his social media account.
“I can see the knives sharpening./ I can hear the arrows whizzing./ I can feel my heart beating./ But can he?” it reads in part.
“He convulses, and he doesn’t stop./ He’s lost. He’s asleep. He’s dead,” the poem continues.
Officials confirmed the brothers lived in Princeton at the time of the incident. They are originally from Toms River, New Jersey, according to University of Michigan and Wesleyan University soccer rosters.
Joseph Hertgen attended the University of Michigan, where he was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten soccer player and a three-time U-M Athletic Academic Achievement Award recipient.
He graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and was working as an analyst at Locust Point Capital when he died, according to LinkedIn.
Matthew Hertgen could face 30 years to life in prison if he is convicted of first-degree murder, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, not including the additional charges. He is scheduled to appear in court for a detention hearing Thursday.
An investigation continues, officials said. Anyone with information is advised to contact Homicide Task Force Sgt. Will Jett at (609) 331-5010 or Detective Karl Johnston at (609) 439-5248.
