Suspect was last one seen in bookstore

A 42-year-old man arrested in connection with the death of a bookstore owner was the last person seen inside the business, police said.

Kenton Eugene Busby was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the Oklahoma County jail on a murder complaint in the death of Kelly Anthony Hays, 66.

About 4:20 p.m. Sept. 14, Oklahoma City firefighters were called to 30 Penn Books, 3012 N Pennsylvania Ave., where heavy smoke could be seen coming from the business. After the fire was extinguished, fire crews found Hays’ body under a pile of books.

Hays had several stab wounds, according to a court affidavit. Detectives pulled surveillance video from several sources near the business and noted that the last person to enter and leave the store was a “white male, wearing a dark colored T-shirt, blue jeans and black shoes.”

Detectives said the man was in the store for about 17 minutes.

Police released video of a person of interest on Monday, which showed a man walking with a backpack at a bus stop near NW 23 and Pennsylvania Avenue about an hour before Hays’ body was found.

On Tuesday, Busby met with officers and identified himself as the man in the video, according to the affidavit.

During an interview with detectives, Busby denied being involved in Hays’ death.

The state medical examiner’s office said his cause of death was sharp force injuries and his death was considered a homicide.