Prosecutors charged 53-year-old David Edward Albert of Simi Valley with first-degree murder with a handgun, arson and animal cruelty.Bail was set at $3 million.
Investigators described Albert as a disgruntled former employee. He was fired last week from his job as a maintenance worker.
They said he shot Passive Arts Studio owner John Lavine several times in the head before starting the fire.
Sheriff's deputies found Albert hiding in some bushes across the street from the fire with blood on his clothes.
Lavine's charred body was found in the 7,000-square-foot facility in Lennox that catered to people interested in sexual fetishes involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
