Authorities Want Access To Devices Of Princeton Man Accused In Brother’s Murder

PRINCETON, NJ — Matthew Hertgen, who is accused of murdering his brother Joseph in Princeton last month, returned to court on Monday for a short hearing.

During the hearing in Mercer County Superior Court, prosecutors expressed their plans to take the case to a grand jury and seek an indictment.

Assistant Prosecutor Tim McCann said his office had no pre-indictment plea bargain for Matthew.

Judge Robert Lyte also mentioned a couple of password protected devices seized from Matthew at the time of his arrest.

A hearing is set for May 2 where attorneys will present their arguments under the Andrews Motion.

The motion is named after the 2020 case where Robert Andrews, a former Essex County Sheriff’s officer, argued that turning over access to his devices to the police violated his right against self-incrimination.

However, the court ruled that Andrews should disclose his phone passcodes.

Matthew, 31, is charged with first-degree murder, along with various third and fourth-degree weapons offenses related to possession of a knife and a golf club in connection with the death of his brother Joseph, 27.

On Feb. 22, Princeton Police received a 911 call at 11:16 p.m. from Matthew Hertgen , who told them there was a fire and a body inside the house.

When officers arrived at the apartment, they found Joseph’s body on the floor by the dining table, with a pool of blood around his head and torso, the complaint said.

Joseph Hertgen appeared to have suffered severe blunt force trauma to the back of his head as well as a large laceration to his chest and abdomen which exposed his chest cavity. There were lacerations to his right eye and his right eyeball was not visible, the affidavit said.

Police found a cup of what they believed to be blood, along with blood-smeared utensils and a plate on the dining table next to Joseph Hertgen’s body. There was a golf club lying on the floor near the body, according to the complaint.

Officers also found a dead cat on an ottoman in the living room. The cat had suffered blunt force injuries and was also partially burned, the complaint said.

Read More Here: Blood-Coated Cup, Utensils Found Near Princeton Man's Body: Records

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