Two men convicted of 2022 murder of Jam Master Jay

Two men have been convicted for the murder of Jam Master Jay, over two decades after his death.

Karl Jordan Jr and Ronald Washington were found guilty of killing the former Run-DMC member on Tuesday (February 28), with the verdict concluding a four-week federal trial in Brooklyn, New York, reports AP.

Jam Master Jay, real name Jason Mizell, was fatally shot while at his New York record studio on October 30, 2002. He was 37 years old at the time of his death.

The murder remained unsolved for over two decades, with various arrests and theories around the identity of the culprits in the years following.

However, in 2020, law enforcement indicted Jordan and Washington for their roles in his death. According to the BBC, Jordan and Washington were the godson and childhood friend of Mizell.

The verdict concludes the trial which began last month (January, 29), during which prosecutors detailed how the pair had murdered Jam Master Jay "in cold blood" as revenge for being cut out of a drug deal worth $200,000.

Despite Run-DMC's public opposition to drugs, the court was told Mizell had turned to dealing cocaine to “help fund his music career," according to Sky News.

Using a combination of witness testimony and forensic evidence, the prosecutors charged Jordan and Washington with a 10-count indictment, to which, a report from the Guardian says both men “pleaded not guilty.”

Defence lawyer Ezra Spilke called the accuracy of this eyewitness testimony into question “after so many years.”

On this subject Breon Peace, the US attorney for the Eastern District of New York said: “It’s no mystery why it took years to indict and arrest the defendants.”

“The witnesses in the recording studio knew the killers, and they were terrified that they’d be retaliated against if they cooperated,” he continued.

Praising the witnesses for their bravery, he added: “Their strength and resolve in testifying at this trial were a triumph of right over wrong and courage over fear.”

The two are yet to be sentenced but are thought to be facing 20 years in prison.

Two years after the indictment of Washington and Jordan, Mimxag reported on the arrest of a third accomplice, Jay Bryant — who was charged with murder in the summer of 2023 and is due to stand trial in 2026.

Belle Richardson is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter