A former footballer who k!lled his own brother before eating his eye has reportedly di£d by apparent su!cide in prison.
Matthew Hertgen, 31, was found de@d in his cell at the Mercer County Jail in New Jersey on May 8, 2026, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities said an official cause of d£ath has not yet been released, while an autopsy report is still pending.
Hertgen, who previously played for Toms River North in New Jersey, k!lled his 26-year-old brother, Joseph Hertgen, at their luxury apartment in Princeton in February 2025.
Investigators said he st@bbed and b£at Joseph to de@th using knives and a golf club before mutil@ting the body. Prosecutors alleged that he ripped out one of his brother’s eyeballs and ate it. He was also accused of setting the family cat on fire after the k!lling.
According to police, Hertgen later called 911 to report that there was a body inside the apartment. Responding officers said he opened the door for them before they discovered Joseph lying in a pool of blood beside a knife. Hertgen was arrested at the scene.
Authorities described the crime scene as “gruesome” and “way overboard.” Hertgen’s trial concluded on May 8, 2026, when he was found not criminally responsible for the k!lling by reason of insanity.
Forensic psychologist Dr. Gianni Pirelli testified during the trial that Hertgen suffered from schizophrenia and experienced “prophetic and divine visions.” The psychologist said Hertgen believed the world was ending and thought a “sacrificial murd£r” could save it.
Court testimony during a two-hour bench trial on March 19 also revealed that Hertgen had previously attempted su!cide inside Mercer County Jail about a week after his arrest.
He is survived by his parents, David Smith and Debra Ann Hertgen, as well as his older brother, David.
In an obituary, the family described him as “a caring and loving person.”
“During his later years, Matthew struggled with severe and profound mental health issues; yet he expressed sorrow, remorse, and repentance in many ways,” the family wrote.
“He departed with the love, friendship and forgiveness of his family and the eternal hope of salvation. May he rest in peace.”
The family also encouraged donations to NAMI Mercer, a non-profit organisation that supports people affected by mental illness in Mercer County, New Jersey.
