Two convicted in 2002 killing of Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay after 22-year investigation

On a Tuesday in February 2024, a jury returned guilty verdicts against Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr. for the murder of Jason Mizell—known to the world as Jam Master Jay, the pioneering DJ of Run-DMC—more than two decades after he was shot in the head at a recording studio in Jamaica, Queens. The case had haunted detectives and music fans for over twenty years. When Mizell was killed on October 30, 2002, no arrests followed. The crime remained one of hip-hop's most shocking unsolved murders until August 2020, when federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment alleging that Washington, Mizell's childhood friend, and Jordan, his godson, had conspired to kill him in retaliation over a drug dispute worth nearly $200,000.

The trial, which began the previous month, turned on eyewitness testimony. One witness who was present at the studio that night, Uriel Rincon, testified that Washington and Jordan entered armed and that Jordan fired the fatal shot. Rincon said he had remained silent for years because he was "confused and scared." The prosecution's case centered on motive: greed, money, and jealousy stemming from the cocaine transaction. Assistant US Attorney Artie McConnell told jurors that the evidence proved Washington and Jordan were killers. But the defense mounted a different theory. Both defense attorneys argued that Jay Bryant, a third defendant charged separately, was the actual shooter. They pointed to a hat found at the scene that contained only Bryant's DNA and noted that Bryant was the only defendant visible on security camera footage. "Jay Bryant is literally reasonable doubt in this case," Jordan's attorney Michael Hueston said. Washington's attorney Susan Kellman was more pointed: "They know who killed Jam Master Jay. They know it was Jay Bryant."

When the verdicts were announced, the courtroom erupted. Washington stood and declared, "Y'all just killed some innocent people. Get me outta here." Jordan looked toward his supporters and said, "I love y'all." Both men were rushed from the courtroom as their supporters began shouting. Each faces a sentence of twenty years to life in prison. Bryant, who pleaded not guilty, is scheduled for trial in January 2026.

Outside the courthouse, Carlis Thompson, Mizell's cousin, praised the verdict while acknowledging the cost of the delay. "It's definitely a long time coming," he said. "Jason himself was an amazing talent. Life ended far, far too soon, and I'm just glad that justice was served." US Attorney Breon Peace credited the witnesses for their courage. He noted that it took years to bring charges precisely because those who were in the studio that night knew the killers and feared retaliation. "Their strength and resolve in testifying at this trial were a triumph of right over wrong and courage over fear," he said.

The prosecution's case required undermining Mizell's carefully constructed public image. Run-DMC had built their brand partly on opposition to drugs, recording a "Say No To Drugs" public service announcement. But prosecutors presented evidence that Mizell had been involved in arranging large cocaine sales from the 1990s through 2002. This revelation complicated the narrative of the man who, alongside Run (Joseph Simmons) and DMC (Darryl McDaniels), had pioneered a new sound and look that brought hip-hop into the mainstream. In 1986, their collaboration with Aerosmith on "Walk This Way" became a crossover hit. Their album "Raising Hell" went triple platinum and included "It's Tricky" and "My Adidas." They appeared on Saturday Night Live, graced the cover of Rolling Stone, and were among the first rappers to achieve genuine mainstream success. Run-DMC released six albums between 1984 and 1993, with two reaching platinum status. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, recognized as pioneers who broke down barriers and crossed boundaries between rap and rock. The verdict closes one chapter of that legacy, though questions about the full truth of what happened in that Jamaica, Queens studio remain contested in the courts.