A chilling warning sent to the victim of a murder case at Princeton hours before his tragic death by his brother accused of the crime

News has surfaced that Joseph Hertgen, the victim of a tragic murder in Princeton, was given a foreboding caution about his older brother shortly before his horrifying demise, as per recently unveiled legal papers.

Accused of using a knife and a golf club to fatally attack his younger brother in their Princeton, New Jersey, residence on February 22, Matthew Hertgen, aged 31, is at the center of this harrowing case.

Notably, the recently disclosed court records imply that Joseph, a former collegiate soccer athlete at the University of Michigan, received a cautionary message from his sibling mere hours before the tragic incident unfolded, painting a chilling prelude to the unsettling events that transpired.

The surviving brother, whose name has not been revealed, told Joseph via text that their brother Matthew was struggling with ‘his visions’ and to contact him if he needed help. 

Joseph later responded, ‘Will do,’ to his brother’s alarming message.

However, only hours later, around 11:16 pm, police responded to a 911 call from Matthew reporting a fire and his brother’s dead body at the Michelle Mews Apartments complex.

When a dispatcher asked Matthew how his brother was injured, he said, ‘I’m not gonna go into any more details right now,’ the probable cause statement reads. 

Police arrived and found Matthew in the residence along with his brother’s body, which had significant injuries to the head – including a missing eye – as well as injuries to Joseph’s chest and upper body. 

Matthew Hertgen, 31, is accused of using a knife and a golf club to murder his 26-year-old brother, Joseph , in the family’s Princeton, New Jersey , apartment on February 22

Joseph Hertgen, 26, a former college soccer player at the University of Michigan, was sent a warning message by his other brother just before his unimaginable death

They also found a cup of blood with ‘blood-smeared’ utensils and a plate, the probable cause document states. 

Investigators also discovered a deceased cat on an ottoman that appeared partially burned inside the Princeton apartment.

Also revealed in the probable cause affidavit, obtained by Fox News Digital, the surviving brother allegedly spent time with his disturbed sibling before the alleged murder.

The unnamed brother apparently told police that Matthew had ‘suffered from severe mental illness for the past five years.’ 

‘He further explained that when he spoke to Matthew earlier that day, Matthew was extremely distressed, despondent, and experiencing terrifying visions,’ the document states. 

‘Wanting to help him, [the surviving brother] picked Matthew up at [redacted] at approximately 4:30 pm. [The surviving brother] and Matthew went to the grocery store and then to [the surviving brother’s] residence … where they remained until approximately 10:00 pm.’

The third Hertgen brother, who works for their father’s company, lives in a Greenwich Village apartment in New York City. (Pictured: Joseph (left), surviving brother (middle) and Matthew (right)

Authorities have yet to reveal a motive for Matthew’s alleged descent into homicidal madness

The brother then drove Matthew back to his residence, where he saw Joseph. After a brief discussion, the surviving brother left and returned to his apartment.

In another heartbreaking development, approximately 45 minutes before Matthew called 911 to report his younger brother’s dead body, his surviving brother texted him, inviting him to go on a hike the next day. 

In addition to his murder charge, the accused killer faces additional charges including two counts of possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. 

The mentally-troubled former college athlete – having played soccer at Wesleyan University in Connecticut – is also facing animal cruelty charges related to the death of the family cat.

If convicted, he faces 30 years to life in prison. 

Authorities have yet to reveal a motive for his alleged descent into homicidal madness.

On Thursday morning, the murderous brother appeared in court on for a detention hearing, however, there was no sign of his parents, Debra, 58 and David, 59, in the courtroom.

The killer appears to have been ‘cut off’ by his parents as he was represented by a public defender, rather than a hotshot lawyer paid for by his well-off parents.   

Matthew appears to have been ‘cut off’ by his parents as he was represented by a public defender, rather than a hotshot lawyer paid for by his well-off parents. Pictured: Joseph and his parents, David and Debra Hertgen

A heavily-bearded Matthew was dressed in an orange jumpsuit with his handcuffed hands on his lap as he went before Judge Wilson

A heavily-bearded Matthew was dressed in an orange jumpsuit with his handcuffed hands on his lap as he went before Judge Wilson. 

He appeared alert and engaged despite his attempt to take his own life and hang himself in his cell last week.

Hertgen waived his rights to a hearing and consented to detention voluntarily.

Despite his family’s vast wealth – Matthew’s father David Hertgen, a tech mogul that runs a multi-million dollar company – there was no family members or friends present, including his older brother David, 34.

Before the session ended, the public defender told Hertgen: ‘Just because I represent you, you can always choose to hire a private attorney to assert your appellate rights.’