Charles Mathew Swanson, 22, of Newport Beach, remains in custody at the Orange County Jail Intake Release Center on suspicion of murder as of Sept. 28, 2026. No filing by the Orange County District Attorney's Office has been announced. The Orange County Sheriff's Department has not publicly confirmed whether Joshua Lee Long, 45, was stabbed, despite initial 911 reports describing a man chasing another man with a knife.

At approximately 6:15 p.m. on Sept. 24, 2026, multiple 911 callers reported a man chasing another man with a knife near Beach Boulevard and Chapman Avenue in Stanton. Deputies arrived to find Long with serious injuries. He was transported to a hospital, where he later died. OCSD has not disclosed further details about the nature of his wounds.

Witnesses provided a license plate, which deputies used to locate the suspect vehicle near Lincoln Avenue and East Street in Anaheim. A short vehicle pursuit followed, ending when the suspect car rear-ended another vehicle at Lincoln Avenue and Anaheim Boulevard. Swanson was taken into custody at the scene and booked into Orange County Jail in the early morning hours of Sept. 25 on suspicion of murder, according to OCSD and a follow-up report by the OC Register citing Sgt. Gerard McCann.

The case is pending OCDA review for formal charges. Under California law, prosecutors generally have 48–72 hours from arrest (excluding weekends and holidays) to file charges or the suspect must be released. No further OCSD statements have been issued as of the last refresh. Anyone with information is asked to contact OCSD Homicide at (714) 647-7000 or OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.