Ronald Washington & Karl Jordan Guilty of Killing Jam Master Jay

The two men who killed Run-DMC’s DJ, Jam Master Jay have been convicted more than 20 years after the legendary artist was killed in his Queens recording studio.

According to NPR, a jury convicted Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr. of killing Jam Master Jay, nee Jason Mizell on Oct. 30, 2002. The two men face a minimum of 20 years in prison up to a maximum life sentence when they are sentenced in the future. Washington was a childhood friend of Jay while Jordan was his godson.

“More than two decades after they killed Jason Mizell in his recording studio, Jordan and Washington have finally been held accountable for their cold-blooded crime driven by greed and revenge,” United States District Attorney Breon Peace said in a written statement. “That the victim, professionally known as Jam Master Jay, was a hip hop icon and Run-DMC’s music was born in Hollis, Queens, in this very district, and beloved by so many, adds to the tragedy of a life senselessly cut short. I thank the jurors for their service, and I commend our prosecutors, the NYPD detectives, both active and retired, and the Special Agents and investigators from the ATF and my office, for their relentless pursuit of justice for the victim, his family, and the community.”

On that fateful evening at about 7:30 p.m., the two convicted men entered Jay’s studio through a fired escape door that was opened by a third co-conspirator. While Jay was playing a video game with someone else as they were also viewing paperwork with his business manager, the two approached Jay and within moments, his godson, Jordan pointed a gun at Mizell and fired two shots at close range, with one shot hitting Jay in the head instantly killing him. The three men left immediately.

Jay’s business manager, who was hit by the second bullet in the leg identified Jordan as the triggerman at trial. She also stated that Washington was present in the recording studio when the killing took place pointed a gun at her and ordered her to get down on the floor.

The men supposedly killed him because Jay had been given 10 kilograms of cocaine on consignment in August 2002. He was supposed to sell the product in the Maryland area, according to prosecutors. Washington and Jordan were brought in on the deal, but after a disagreement between Washington and another person involved, Jay cut Washington and Jordan out of the deal, leading to the killing of the popular DJ.