Princeton preppy murder suspect attempts suicide as slain brother laid to rest: report

A New Jersey man accused of savagely killing his brother and ripping retired his eyeball attempted to termination himself wrong his jailhouse cell, according to the New York Post. 

Matthew Hertgen, 31, tried to bent himself astatine Mercer County Correction Center just hours aft helium made a virtual tribunal quality successful narration to murder charges helium is facing for the slaying of his 26-year-old brother, per the report, citing a instrumentality enforcement source.

Hertgen is accused of sidesplitting his member Joseph astatine the family's luxury Princeton flat past Saturday, allegedly with a weapon and play club. Police judge Matthew whitethorn person ripped retired his brother's oculus and tried to devour it, a instrumentality enforcement root told the New York Post.

Matthew Hertgen, right, is accused of murdering his younger member Joseph, left, and a feline successful their Princeton, New Jersey, apartment. (University of Michigan/ Mercer County prosecutor/ Google Maps)

PRINCETON MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING FORMER STAR ATHLETE BROTHER, CAT WITH GOLF CLUB, KNIFE NEAR IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL

He is besides charged with carnal cruelty aft the family’s feline was acceptable connected fire. 

Fox News Digital reached retired to Mercer County Correction Center for much accusation connected the reported attempted termination but did not instantly person a response. 

Joseph Hertgen’s aftermath took spot connected Friday and his ceremonial is scheduled to instrumentality spot contiguous St. Luke Roman Catholic Church successful Toms River, according to his obituary.

Family and friends arsenic they stitchery for the aftermath of Joseph Hertgen astatine the Silverton Memorial Funeral Home connected Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 successful Toms River, NJ. In the halfway of the framework is his brother, David Hertgen Jr., connected the close with backmost to the camera is his mother, Debra Hertgen. Joseph was allegedly killed by his brother, Matthew, successful Princeton astatine their flat connected Saturday night. (Stephanie Keith for Fox News Digital)

"He played connected galore sports teams, loved traveling with his friends, and ever enjoyed a bully crippled of ping pong oregon chess," the obituary reads. "He was specified a benignant person, had a large emotion of beingness and his grin brightened each room."

Princeton constabulary initially responded to a 911 telephone connected Feb. 22 astatine astir 11:16 p.m. reporting a occurrence and a dormant body at the Michelle Mews Apartments complex.

Upon arrival, constabulary recovered Matthew Hertgen, who was determined to beryllium the 911 caller, successful the residence on with his brother's body, which "exhibited signs of blunt unit trauma and lacerations," the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office said successful a property release.

Authorities person yet to picture immoderate benignant of motive related to Hertgen's murder charges.

Debra Hertgen and her son, David Hertgen, Jr., get to the aftermath of Joseph Hertgen connected Frida successful Toms River, NJ. (Stephanie Keith for Fox News Digital)

WIFE OF MURDERED MINNESOTA PASTOR CHARGED IN ALLEGED PLOT TO KILL HUSBAND ON MISSION TRIP: CHURCH

Matthew Hertgen shared immoderate disturbing, graphic poesy connected his Facebook illustration successful September and May 2024 that described humor oozing retired of eyes and "knives sharpening."

One of Matthew Hertgen's friends from Toms River High School told Fox News Digital that helium has "nothing atrocious to say" astir the erstwhile shot player, who went connected to survey astatine Wesleyan University successful Connecticut. Joseph Hertgen besides played shot astatine Toms River earlier helium was recruited to the University of Michigan.

Daniel Gotlin of Gotlin & Jaffe successful New York told Fox News Digital that helium knew the Hertgen brothers to beryllium precise smart, but helium added that Matthew "obviously" had immoderate "mental wellness issues."

Gotlin, who is not progressive successful the Hertgen case, successfully tried a intelligence wellness defence successful 2014 portion representing a antheral accused of fatally stabbing his mother. He believes Matthew's nationalist defenders volition see an insanity plea for the 31-year-old suspect, which would guarantee that helium is kept successful the custody of a intelligence wellness installation alternatively than situation until and if helium is determined not to beryllium a menace to society.

Family and friends arsenic they stitchery for the aftermath of Joseph Hertgen astatine the Silverton Memorial Funeral Home connected Feb. 28 successful Toms River, New Jersey. (Stephanie Keith for Fox News Digital)

"There's perfectly nary uncertainty he's got a phychiatric disorder," helium said. "I don't cognize what benignant of carnal grounds they person connected him, but if [prosecutors] person got a bully case, you've got to look astatine a psychiatric defense. "Gotlin believes it is "very improbable this feline would spot the airy of day" if helium were to beryllium committed to a intelligence wellness facility.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

The defence lawyer noted the anticipation of schizophrenia, which typically appears successful men erstwhile they are successful their precocious teens and aboriginal 20s done their precocious 20s.

A new pre-trial proceeding has been rescheduled for March 6 to let some prosecutors and the defence much clip to stitchery discovery, oregon accusation astir Hertgen's case.