Former Princeton Soccer Player Accused of Brutally Killing Brother, Eating His Eyeball, and Setting Family Cat on Fire

Joseph Hertgen worked as a banker

In a gruesome crime that has shocked the Princeton community, 31-year-old Matthew Hertgen is facing first-degree murder, weapons offenses, and animal cruelty charges after allegedly mutilating and killing his younger brother, Joseph Hertgen, 26, inside their upscale New Jersey apartment on Saturday night.

Authorities suspect that Matthew gouged out and consumed his brother’s eyeball, after discovering a blood-stained knife, plate, and fork near the crime scene, a law enforcement source revealed to the New York Post. The Princeton Police Department responded to a 911 call from Matthew himself, reporting a fire and a dead body at the Michelle Mews Apartments. Upon arrival, officers found Matthew inside the residence, along with Joseph’s mutilated body and their dead cat, which had allegedly been set on fire.

Matthew Hertgen reportedly suffers from schizophrenia

Matthew Hertgen, a former soccer player and Wesleyan University alumnus, has reportedly struggled with schizophrenia, with past stays in mental health facilities prior to this violent incident, according to DailyMail.com. His 26-year-old brother Joseph, a University of Michigan graduate and banker, was allegedly attacked with a knife and a golf club in what police described as a brutal and frenzied assault.

Neighbors at the high-end Princeton residence expressed their disbelief and horror over the murder.

"It wasn't very Princeton-ey," one neighbor remarked, while his wife added, "Oh Lord. That brother had so much rage. I want to know what the motive was."

Another new resident of the neighborhood likened Princeton’s usual tranquility to a scene from Gilmore Girls, adding, "Living here in the safeness of Princeton, and then suddenly there is a brutal murder—and he killed the cat too? He had so much rage."

The Hertgen brothers were raised in Toms River, New Jersey, in a wealthy, tech-industry family. Their father, David Hertgen, is the president and CFO of WiLine Networks, a business internet provider. The family’s lavish childhood home boasted four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a swimming pool. The eldest brother, David Jr., works at their father’s firm and resides in an apartment in New York City’s Greenwich Village.

Joseph Hertgen (sitting) was found dead

Following the shocking murder, disturbing social media posts by Matthew Hertgen came to light. His last known written post, dated September 4, contained a chilling poem about death and fire, eerily foreshadowing the brutal events to come.

"Someone sits alone in that room. That room where the walls shake. He still has a pulse. Blood still flows through his veins. But something is wrapped around him. Squeezing him. Choking him. Suffocating him..."

The graphic and unsettling content reflected themes of violence, suffocation, and combustion, suggesting a deeply disturbed state of mind.

The cause and manner of Joseph’s death are pending autopsy results, and authorities have yet to determine a motive for the horrific crime. Matthew remains in custody, facing severe legal consequences for an act of unimaginable brutality.