Man arrested in slaying of Costa Mesa father of 8 is free pending further investigation

A man arrested on suspicion of stabbing to death a Costa Mesa father of eight has been released from jail pending further investigation, authorities said.

Logan James Cunningham, 27, of Long Beach was suspected in the killing of Jason Paul Torres, 40, on Aug. 7 at a Circle K convenience store in Santa Ana. Torres was stabbed just after 9 p.m. while picking up cigarettes.

Cunningham was booked with bail set at $1 million.

But Anthony Bertagna, a public information officer for the Santa Ana Police Department, said the Orange County district attorney’s office sent the case back to police for more investigation, and Cunningham was released Aug. 10.

“We’re collecting more evidence as we speak so that we may make an arrest,” Bertagna said.

Torres is survived by his wife and eight children. His brother, Joseph, created a GoFundMe web page (gofundme.com/2fpwzrk4) to cover funeral expenses.

Joseph wrote on the page that he has been overcome by the support his family has received in the aftermath of his brother’s death.

“Words cannot express the loss I feel, and I am thankful for the outpouring of love that has already occurred from our friends and family,” he wrote. “I want to do something meaningful in remembrance of my brother, but I’m just a full-time student working part time with no savings to get by, and our entire family needs all the help we can get.”

As of Wednesday evening, about $2,800 had been raised toward a $15,000 goal.

Torres’ mother, Linda, told the Orange County Register that her son was a “hands-on dad” who would make his children breakfast and drop them off at school.

She said Torres’ wife, Amber, is devastated.

“She’s trying to hold it together,” Linda Torres told the Register. “We all are.”