A former Wesleyan University soccer player is accused of murdering his younger brother, himself a former soccer player at the University of Michigan, in a violent attack near Princeton University over the weekend. 

Matthew Hertgen, 31, has been charged with first-degree murder, several weapons offenses and one count of third-degree animal cruelty after his 911 call reporting “a fire and a dead body” led police to discover the bodies of his younger brother and a cat. 

Princeton Police responded to the call late at night on Saturday at the Michelle Mews Apartments in Princeton, New Jersey, and pronounced Joseph Hertgen, 26, and the cat dead on scene. 

Joseph Hertgen suffered blunt force trauma and lacerations, presumably caused by a golf club and knife found in his brother’s possession. The cause of death has yet to be determined by an autopsy, officials say. 

An ongoing multi-agency investigation led to the charges, according to officials. 

“The complaint alleges that Matthew purposely or knowingly engaged in conduct that led to the death of his younger brother and caused the death of a cat that was located within the residence,” the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office said in a release.  

Months before the alleged murder, Matthew Hertgen posted a poem describing knives, blood and pain to his social media account. 

“I can see the knives sharpening./ I can hear the arrows whizzing./ I can feel my heart beating./ But can he?” it reads in part. 

“He convulses, and he doesn’t stop./ He’s lost. He’s asleep. He’s dead,” the poem continues. 

Officials confirm the brothers lived in Princeton at the time of the incident. They are originally from Toms River, New Jersey, according to University of Michigan and Wesleyan University soccer rosters. 

Joseph Hertgen attended the University of Michigan where he was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten soccer player and a three-time U-M Athletic Academic Achievement recipient.

He graduated from UMich in 2020 with a Bachelors in Business Administration, and was working as an Analyst at Locust Point Capital at the time of his death, according to Linkedin. 

Matthew Hertgen could face thirty years to life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, not including the additional charges. He is scheduled to appear in court for a detention hearing on Thursday.

An investigation into the murder is ongoing, according to officials. Anyone with information is advised to contact Homicide Task Force Sgt. Will Jett at (609) 331-5010 or Detective Karl Johnston at (609) 439-5248.