A New Jersey man accused of savagely killing his brother and ripping out his eyeball tried to kill himself inside his jail cell, in keeping with the New York Put up.
Matthew Hertgen, 31, tried to hold himself at Mercer County Correction Heart simply hours after he made a digital courtroom look in relation to homicide expenses he’s dealing with for the slaying of his 26-year-old brother, per the report, citing a legislation enforcement supply.
Hertgen is accused of killing his brother Joseph on the household’s luxurious Princeton house final Saturday, allegedly with a knife and golf membership. Police imagine Matthew might have ripped out his brother’s eye and tried to eat it, a legislation enforcement supply informed the New York Put up.
Matthew Hertgen, proper, is accused of murdering his youthful brother Joseph, left, and a cat of their Princeton, New Jersey, house. (College of Michigan/ Mercer County prosecutor/ Google Maps)
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He’s additionally charged with animal cruelty after the household’s cat was set on fireplace.
Fox Information Digital reached out to Mercer County Correction Heart for extra info on the reported tried suicide however didn’t instantly obtain a response.
Joseph Hertgen’s wake came about on Friday and his funeral is scheduled to happen right this moment St. Luke Roman Catholic Church in Toms River, in keeping with his obituary.
Household and associates as they collect for the wake of Joseph Hertgen on the Silverton Memorial Funeral Dwelling on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 in Toms River, NJ. Within the middle of the body is his brother, David Hertgen Jr., on the fitting with again to the digicam is his mom, Debra Hertgen. Joseph was allegedly killed by his brother, Matthew, in Princeton at their house on Saturday evening. (Stephanie Keith for Fox Information Digital)
“He performed on many sports activities groups, liked touring together with his associates, and all the time loved a very good recreation of ping pong or chess,” the obituary reads. “He was such a sort particular person, had an important love of life and his smile brightened each room.”
Princeton police initially responded to a 911 name on Feb. 22 at round 11:16 p.m. reporting a hearth and a useless physique on the Michelle Mews Flats advanced.
Upon arrival, police discovered Matthew Hertgen, who was decided to be the 911 caller, within the residence alongside together with his brother’s physique, which “exhibited indicators of blunt drive trauma and lacerations,” the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Workplace stated in a press launch.
Authorities have but to explain any type of motive associated to Hertgen’s homicide expenses.
Debra Hertgen and her son, David Hertgen, Jr., arrive to the wake of Joseph Hertgen on Frida in Toms River, NJ. (Stephanie Keith for Fox Information Digital)
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Matthew Hertgen shared some disturbing, graphic poetry on his Fb profile in September and Might 2024 that described blood oozing out of eyes and “knives sharpening.”
Certainly one of Matthew Hertgen’s associates from Toms River Excessive College informed Fox Information Digital that he has “nothing unhealthy to say” concerning the former soccer participant, who went on to review at Wesleyan College in Connecticut. Joseph Hertgen additionally performed soccer at Toms River earlier than he was recruited to the College of Michigan.
Daniel Gotlin of Gotlin & Jaffe in New York informed Fox Information Digital that he knew the Hertgen brothers to be very good, however he added that Matthew “clearly” had some “psychological well being points.”
Gotlin, who will not be concerned within the Hertgen case, efficiently tried a psychological well being protection in 2014 whereas representing a person accused of fatally stabbing his mom. He believes Matthew’s public defenders will take into account an madness plea for the 31-year-old suspect, which might guarantee that he’s stored within the custody of a psychological well being facility moderately than jail till and if he’s decided to not be a risk to society.
Household and associates as they collect for the wake of Joseph Hertgen on the Silverton Memorial Funeral Dwelling on Feb. 28 in Toms River, New Jersey. (Stephanie Keith for Fox Information Digital)
“There’s completely little question he is received a phychiatric dysfunction,” he stated. “I do not know what sort of bodily proof they’ve on him, but when [prosecutors] have gotten a very good case, you have to have a look at a psychiatric protection. “Gotlin believes it’s “impossible this man would see the sunshine of day” if he have been to be dedicated to a psychological well being facility.
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The protection lawyer famous the potential of schizophrenia, which generally seems in males when they’re of their late teenagers and early 20s by way of their late 20s.
A brand new pre-trial listening to has been rescheduled for March 6 to permit each prosecutors and the protection extra time to assemble discovery, or details about Hertgen’s case.
