Joseph Hertgen Obituary, Death; – Authorities in Princeton, New Jersey, have reported the alleged murder of a man by his brother following a 911 call made to report a fire and a deceased individual at a luxury apartment complex.
Prosecutors have identified the suspect as 31-year-old Matthew Hertgen, who faces first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of his 26-year-old brother, Joseph Hertgen. Additionally, he is charged with third- and fourth-degree weapons offenses related to the possession of a golf club and a knife, as well as animal cruelty concerning the death of a family cat.
An anonymous police source informed The New York Post that Hertgen is accused of setting the cat on fire. The source expressed the tragedy of the situation, noting that the Hertgen family appeared to be an ideal, all-American family, making the violent outcome unexpected and the loss of Joseph particularly heartbreaking.
As of now, authorities have not disclosed any potential motive for the murder charges against Matthew Hertgen. The Princeton police responded to the emergency call on February 22 at approximately 11:16 p.m., which reported both a fire and a deceased person at the Michelle Mews Apartments.
Upon arrival, officers found Matthew Hertgen at the scene and confirmed he was the individual who made the 911 call. They also discovered the victim’s body, which displayed signs of blunt force trauma and lacerations, according to a press release from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. Joseph Hertgen was pronounced dead at the scene, and the results of his autopsy are still pending. Local and state officials are treating the 26-year-old’s death as a homicide.
Both brothers were collegiate soccer players, with Matthew representing Wesleyan University in Connecticut and Joseph playing for the University of Michigan. The investigation into Joseph’s death is ongoing, and Mercer County authorities are urging anyone with information regarding the incident to reach out to the Princeton Police Department.
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