Last Saturday the lifeless body of Joseph Hertgen, a 26-year-old soccer player, was found in a Palmer Square residence in downtown Princeton, New Jersey.
According to investigators’ current reconstructions, Hertgen was allegedly killed by his older brother, who is accused of beating him with a golf club and stabbing him. In addition, it appears that the suspect also killed Joseph’s cat. Matthew Hertgen, 31, is charged with first-degree murder and weapons possession related to the death, according to a statement from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office in the official press release. In addition, the man is also charged with cruelty to an animal.
“Princeton police responded to a 911 call alerting them to a fire and a dead body inside one of the residences of the Michelle Mews apartments,” according to the DA’s office. When officers reached the apartment they found Matthew Hertgen in the residence along with the victim’s body. It was Matthew himself who had called 911.
The Hertgen brothers were both soccer players at Toms River North High School, and had played at the collegiate level as well. Joseph Hertgen played for the University of Michigan and Matthew Hertgen played for Wesleyan University in Connecticut. According to a statement from the prosecutor’s office, the autopsy on the 26-year-old’s body is still underway, while detectives are still investigating the case.
