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A probable cause affidavit sheds more light on the arrest of Matthew Hertgen, who is accused of murdering his brother and a cat in grisly fashion — as police detail the scene, body and why his other brother was concerned about Matthew’s behavior before the incident.
Police responding to a Princeton, New Jersey apartment earlier this month were met with a scene soaked in blood, this according to a probable cause affidavit for Matthew Hertgen’s arrest.
Hertgen (above left), 31, was previously charged with first-degree murder, various third and fourth-degree weapons offenses related to possession of a knife and golf club and one count of third-degree animal cruelty in connection to the death of his younger brother, 26-year-old Joseph Hertgen’s (above right), and a cat.
Autopsy results are pending; Joseph’s death is being treated as a homicide. Matthew faces 30 years to life in prison and a fine of $200,000 for the first-degree murder charge alone.
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According to the court docs, via FOX News Digital, Matthew called 9-1-1 just after 11:15 pm on February 22. During the call, he said there was a fire and dead body inside his apartment, identifying the deceased as his brother while saying he had been dead for about 30-40 minutes.
“I’m not gonna get into any more details right now,” he allegedly said when asked how his brother was injured, before reiterating that statement when pressed on whether any weapons were used in the incident.
Matthew allegedly met officers at the door when they arrived, before Joseph was found dead on the dining room floor, “with a large pool of blood around his head and torso.” Per the docs, Joseph sustained severe blunt force trauma to the back of his head; he also had what was described as a “large laceration” to his right eye, while his right eyeball “was not visible.”
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On the dining room table, near the body, was another disturbing sight.
“Additionally, patrol officers observed a cup of what they believed to be blood, along with blood smeared eating utensils and a bloody smeared plate,” reads the docs. Officers also say they found a dead cat, partially burned and also suffering blunt force injuries, on an ottoman in the living room.
According to the affidavit, as Matthew was being placed into handcuffs, he was asked how he sustained “abrasions and scratches” on his hands. He allegedly told officers that he “went into a fit of madness … maybe like forty minutes ago.”
The docs also shine some light on the subsequent investigation into Joseph’s death, with another Hertgen brother telling authorities Matthew “suffered from severe mental illness” for five years — and said that when he saw Matthew earlier the day of the murder, he was “extremely distressed, despondent, and experienced terrifying visions.”
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Concerned about Matthew, the brother picked him up around 4:30pm and was with him until about 10pm that night. He then brought Matthew to the apartment in question — where he saw his brother Joseph alive for the last time — before leaving him there. The brother allegedly messaged Joseph that Matthew was having “visions,” telling him to message him if he needed any help.
Joseph allegedly responded, “Will do,” but the brother didn’t hear from him again. The brother also texted Matthew an invite to join him on a hike the next day, telling him to “hang in there,” but didn’t hear from him either. 45 minutes after that, Matthew called 9-1-1 to report Joseph’s death.
Per FOX News Digital, Hertgen appeared in court on Thursday and agreed to remain behind bars until his trial.
Matthew played on the men’s soccer team at Wesleyan University before he graduated in 2015. His brother, Joseph, also played soccer for the University of Michigan until his 2019 graduation.
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