COLUMBUS, Ohio — Joshua Bays was sentenced Wednesday to 26 to 31½ years in prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from the fatal shooting of Thomas Smith at a bus stop in Franklinton. Smith, 56, was shot in the face Aug. 14 near the intersection of West Broad Street and Wisconsin Avenue. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died three days later. His wife was with him during the shooting and helped police investigate. Bays, 46, was initially charged with murder, having a weapon while under disability and unlawful use of a weapon as a career criminal. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors said he admitted to the shooting and trying to dispose of the firearm. Investigators said witnesses described a man riding away on a bicycle, which was captured on surveillance video. Smith’s wife identified Bays from a photo array. Bays was found near the bus stop at 1:42 p.m., according to the case account. A court evaluation found him competent to stand trial. The guilty counts include repeat-offender, violent-offender and firearm specifications. Bays also received a consecutive 12-month sentence for a separate escape case in which he had pleaded guilty. He will be eligible for parole at age 72.