John Jefferson
Inset: Joseph Hertgen (Locust Point Capital). Background: The Residences at Palmer Square in downtown Princeton where Joseph Hertgen was found dead (Google Maps).
A Princeton man who used to be a college soccer star was beaten and stabbed to death by his big brother — who allegedly wielded a golf club and knife — leading to his arrest for murder, New Jersey cops say.
Joseph Hertgen, 26, was found dead in the Michelle Mews complex in downtown Princeton, located in the Residences at Palmer Square near the Princeton University campus, on Saturday night at around 11:15 p.m., according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
A press release posted on X Monday outlined how Matthew Hertgen, 31, allegedly bludgeoned and stabbed his younger brother to death while the two were at an apartment that was later set on fire. Hertgen also allegedly killed his brother’s pet cat.
“Princeton Police responded to a 911 call reporting that there was a fire and a dead body within one of the residences inside the Michelle Mews Apartments,” the prosecutor’s office said. “When officers responded to the scene, they found Mathew Hertgen, who was determined to be the 911 caller, in the residence along with the body of the victim which exhibited various injuries including signs of blunt force trauma and lacerations. Joseph was pronounced dead at the scene.”
An investigation conducted by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force, the Princeton Police Department and the State Police Crime Scene Unit led to a count of first-degree murder and weapons charges being filed for Matthew Hertgen, who was taken into custody that night, 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 prosecutor’s office said.
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Joseph Hertgen, an investment portfolio manager at Locust Point Capital in Red Bank, was a soccer star for Toms River North High School and went on to play at the University of Michigan, according to NJ.com. His brother was also a well-known soccer player who attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut. An obituary posted online through the News Memorial Service describes Joseph Hertgen — who went by Joe and Joey — as being “tragically” murdered by Matthew Hertgen.
“The pain of losing Joe is indescribable and incomprehensible,” the obituary says. “His life was tragically cut short by an unimaginable act of violence perpetrated by his older brother, Matthew Hertgen. This heartbreaking incident has shattered the Hertgen family and the entire community, bringing to the forefront the urgent need to address mental health issues and familial strife.”
The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office has charged Matthew Hertgen with first-degree murder, weapons possession and animal cruelty. The exact cause and manner of his brother’s death are pending the results of an autopsy.
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