Matthew Hertgen, a New Jersey native and former college athlete, experienced “terrifying visions” before falling into a “fit of madness” the night police discovered his brother’s beaten body and the burnt remains their cat inside an apartment near the Princeton University campus, according to court documents.
Hertgen, 31, is accused of violently bludgeoning his younger brother, 26-year-old Joseph Hertgen, with a golf club and attacking him with a knife at the Michelle Mews apartment complex on Feb. 22.
Police responded to the building off Witherspoon St. around 11:16 p.m., after the elder Hertgen called 911 to report a fire. He also told dispatchers his brother had been lying dead on the floor for between 30 and 40 minutes, per a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Asbury Park Press.
When officers arrived at the residence, they found Joseph in a pool of blood on the floor of the dining room. He seemingly suffered severe blunt force trauma to the back of his head, and a laceration that left his chest cavity exposed, according to the affidavit. There was also a cup filled with what appeared to be blood near the body, along with blood-spattered plates and utensils.
Officers also found the body of a cat on an ottoman in the living room. The animal, which was partially burnt, appeared to have suffered blunt force trauma as well.
Hertgen was detained on the scene. He told officers he would not go into the specifics of what occurred, only that he experienced a “fit of madness” before they arrived.
He was also “experiencing terrifying visions” earlier in the day, according to a third brother, who went on to describe Hertgen’s demeanor as “extremely distressed, despondent.” He told authorities Hertgen had been struggling with mental health issues in recent years.
During a brief court appearance on Thursday, Hertgen waived his right to a pre-trial detention hearing and returned to jail. He’s been charged with first-degree murder for his brother’s death. He’s also facing various third and fourth-degree weapons offenses and one count of third-degree animal cruelty.
Matthew and Joseph Hertgen were both successful college athletes. After playing for Toms River North High School, Joseph went on to play for the Wesleyan University soccer team in Connecticut. His big brother, meanwhile, played for the University of Michigan, where he was a three-time U-M Athletic Academic Achievement and three-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient.
