What to Know
- One soccer playing brother from New Jersey is accused of killing the other inside an apartment near Princeton University on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025.
- Matthew Hertgen, 31, is charged with first-degree murder, weapons and animal cruelty charges in the killings of his brother, 26-year-old Joseph Hertgen, and a cat, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said.
- Hertgen was in possession of a knife and a golf club at the time of his arrest, investigators said.
- Both Hertgen brothers played collegiate soccer after growing up in the Toms River area, according to player profiles.
A late-night 911 call reporting a fire and a body led to the arrest of a man in the killing of his brother -- a former collegiate soccer player -- and a cat inside a Princeton, New Jersey, apartment.
Matthew Hertgen, 31, is charged with first-degree murder, weapons and animal cruelty charges in the Feb. 22, 2025, killings of his brother, 26-year-old Joseph Hertgen, and a cat, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said.
Around 11:15 p.m. Saturday night, "Princeton Police responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting that there was a fire and a dead body within one of the residences inside the Michelle Mews Apartments," county prosecutors said in a Monday, Feb. 24, 2025 news release.
The Michelle Mews apartments are located just off Princeton University's campus.
"When officers responded to the scene, they found Mathew Hertgen, who was determined to be the 9-1-1 caller, in the residence along with the body of the victim which exhibited various injuries including signs of blunt force trauma and lacerations," prosecutors said.
Hertgen was in possession of a knife and a golf club at the time, investigators said.
Joseph Hertgen was pronounced dead at the scene, as was a cat, prosecutors said. Hertgen's exact cause and manner of death were pending an autopsy.
Sign up for our
Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
It is alleged "that Matthew purposely or knowingly engaged in conduct that led to the death of his younger brother and caused the death of a cat," according to a criminal complaint, prosecutors said.
The older Hertgen brother was arrested and booked with murder charges Monday, prosecutors said. He remained jailed ahead of a Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, detention hearing. It wasn't clear if he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Hertgen faces up to life behind bars if found guilty.
The full criminal complaint wasn't released by the county prosecutor's office due to the nature of the investigation, Mercer County Deputy First Assistant Prosecutor Michael Borgos told NBC10.
Joseph (Joe) Hertgen played soccer at the University of Michigan from 2016 to 2019, according to his UM player bio page. He had attended Toms River North High School, his player page said. He was also listed as an analyst at Red Bank-based Locust Point Capital.
Matthew Hertgen also played collegiate soccer at Wesleyan University in Connecticut after starring at soccer in high school, according to Michigan-based NBC affiliate WILX. Matthew (Matt) Hertgen was listed as a senior on the Wesleyan men's soccer roster in 2014.
The investigation into the deaths continued and investigators asked anyone with info to call Homicide Task Force Sgt. Will Jett at (609) 331-5010 or Detective Karl Johnston at (609) 439-5248.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
