TOMS RIVER, NEW JERSEY – A tragic incident unfolded as Princeton resident Matthew Hertgen attempted suicide in jail just days after being accused of the heinous murder of his younger brother, Joseph Hertgen. The shocking crime took place in the family’s luxury apartment where the 31-year-old allegedly beat the former soccer player, 27, to death with a golf club and a knife on February 22. The suspect reportedly went as far as tearing out his brother’s eye and consuming it.
Law enforcement sources revealed that Matthew tried to hang himself in his Mercer County Correction Center cell on Thursday night, shortly after his initial court hearing in New Jersey. Despite the suicide attempt, the accused now faces grave charges that could lead to a life sentence in prison if convicted for the murder.
As the Hertgen family mourned Joseph’s tragic loss, they gathered at St. Luke Roman Catholic Church in Toms River for his funeral. Mourners dressed in black gathered outside the church as they paid their respects to the young victim, whose obituary highlighted his kind and loving nature, his passion for life, and his infectious smile.
The Hertgen family’s tragic ordeal shed light on the troubled past of the accused, Matthew, who had a history of schizophrenia and had been in and out of mental hospitals. Police believe that Matthew used a knife and a golf club to brutally attack his brother, resulting in a gruesome crime scene where the victim’s eyeball was allegedly ripped out and consumed.
Despite the grim details of the case, the community continues to grapple with the shocking nature of the crime and the tragedy that has befallen the Hertgen family. The investigation into the murder continues as authorities work to uncover the full extent of the events leading up to Joseph’s untimely death. The Hertgen family’s affluent background and connections to the tech industry have added a layer of complexity to an already devastating situation.