Case of Princeton man charged with killing brother and eating his eyeball heads to grand jury

The preppy Princeton execution fishy accused of slaughtering his younger member — and feasting connected his eyeball successful a combat of rage — looked scruffy successful tribunal Monday arsenic helium learned his lawsuit would beryllium heard by a expansive jury.

A somber Matthew Hertgen, the 31-year-old accused cannibal killer, sported an unkempt beard and an ill-fitting reddish unit cervix sweatshirt during the little Zoom proceedings successful Mercer County Superior Court.

He lone voiced pleasantries specified arsenic “hello” and “thank you” to the judge, who indicated a expansive assemblage volition measurement indictment charges. His household was not successful court.

Hertgen’s adjacent proceeding is acceptable for May 2.

A erstwhile Wesleyan shot player, Hertgen stands accused of utilizing a weapon and a play nine to execution his 26-year-old brother, Joseph, successful the family’s ritzy Princeton flat the nighttime of Feb. 22.

After the heinous deed, helium ripped retired Joseph’s oculus and ate it, according to a instrumentality enforcement source.

Sources said helium besides acceptable the household feline connected occurrence during his rampage, which happened conscionable blocks from the Ivy League university’s campus.

The Hertgen brothers were standout athletes who grew up successful a $1.1 cardinal location successful Toms River earlier the household uprooted to the upscale Michelle Mews apartments, wherever units tin spell for up to $2 million.

Officers discovered the grisly country erstwhile Matthew called the cops himself to study a dormant assemblage and occurrence wrong the Witherspoon Street home.

A bloody knife, fork and sheet were recovered adjacent the victim’s body, a root said, which led cops to judge Matthew consumed his brother’s missing eye. 

A week aft his arrest, Matthew tried to bent himself astatine the Mercer County Correction Center, sources said.

Authorities inactive haven’t revealed a motive for Matthew’s alleged spiral into homicidal madness.

But he’d been struggling with his intelligence wellness successful the days starring up to the sidesplitting — David Jr. had texted Joseph conscionable hours earlier Matthew exploded to archer him Matthew had been successful distress, court docs said.

David besides told investigators his member had been “extremely distressed, despondent and experiencing terrifying visions” earlier helium allegedly flew into a murderous rage.

“Wanting to assistance him, [the surviving brother] picked Matthew up astatine [redacted] astatine astir 4:30 p.m.” according to a probable origin statement obtained by NJ.com.

“[The surviving brother] and Matthew went to the market store and past to [the surviving brother’s] residence … wherever they remained until astir 10:00 p.m.”

Stay updated with the latest connected the Hertgen’s member execution case

• Princeton preppy execution unfortunate received eerie informing substance from different member close earlier gruesome slaying
• Princeton preppy execution suspect’s devastated parents are no-shows successful tribunal arsenic he’s repped by nationalist defender successful brother’s killing
• Princeton preppy execution fishy attempts termination successful jailhouse aft allegedly sidesplitting brother, eating his eyeball: source
• Princeton preppy execution fishy Matthew Hertgen appears for archetypal clip successful termination smock aft allegedly killing, mutilating his brother

David Jr. past dropped Matthew backmost astatine the apartment, wherever Joseph was besides hanging out.

He’d sent Joseph a substance connection telling him to scope retired if helium needed assistance dealing with their troubled sibling.

“Will do,” Joseph responded — astir an hr earlier helium was hacked to death, the filing shows.

After sending Joseph the warning, David besides texted Matthew to invitation him connected a hike the pursuing time and urged him to “Hang successful there.” 

Less than 45 minutes later, Matthew called 911 to study his ain twisted rampage, cops person said.

The accused killer faces 30 years to beingness successful prison if convicted of murder.

A nationalist defender has been repping Hertgen contempt his household wealthiness — his dad, David, is the president and CFO of a multimillion-dollar tech company.

Neither his parents nor his remaining brother, David Jr., showed up for Monday’s hearing.