Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr: Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay's killers found guilty in decades-old case
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK CITY: Ronald Washington, 59, and Karl Jordan Jr, 40, were convicted on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, by a Brooklyn federal jury for the murder of Jason Mizell, widely known as Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay, more than two decades ago.
The 37-year-old DJ was shot inside his Queens music studio in a crime prosecutors deemed as "motivated by greed and revenge."
Witnesses break decades-long silence in Jam Master Jay's murder
The four-week trial unfolded a chilling narrative of the night that ended Mizell's life on October 30, 2002, finally bringing closure to a mystery that had remained unsolved for over 20 years.
Witnesses, including Uriel “Tony” Rincon, who broke his silence after more than two decades, recounted the "ambush" and "execution" that took place in the cramped 24/7 Studio in Hollis.
Rincon, who was shot in the leg inches away from the slain DJ, identified Jordan as the shooter, describing the tragic moment when Jam Master Jay fell. “I heard a couple of shots,” Rincon stated, before adding, “I see Jay fall because his back was to me at the time. As Jay was falling, I saw Jordan shrug him off of him.”
Lydia High, a lifelong friend of Mizell, emotionally testified, revealing the heartbreaking events that unfolded after she went to the studio that night to finalize paperwork for a major record deal.
“Jason smiled. He smiled and he kind of gave the guy a pound,” tearful High testified on the stand. “And then he, and then he, and then he said, ‘Oh s**t!’”
Her account included Washington, also known as "Tinard," allegedly ordering her to the ground at gunpoint after the shooting.
Timeline of Jam Master Jay's shooting
The prosecution delved into the intertwining relationships between Mizell, Jordan (his godson), and Washington (his childhood friend).
They portrayed the killing as a revenge plot stemming from a drug deal gone wrong in Baltimore a few months before the 'Down With the King' musician's murder. Assistant US Attorney Miranda Gonzalez characterized the crime as "an ambush. An execution," driven by "greed and revenge."
It was revealed that Mizell's alleged involvement in the drug trade strained these connections. “As the spotlight on Run-DMC began to fade, the money wasn’t coming into Jason Mizell as it once was, so he turned to drugs to make money,” Gonzalez said, adding that the DJ cut Washington and Jordan out of a lucrative $200,000 narcotics deal. “Jordan and Washington were left with nothing."
On that night, Jay Bryant, who awaits a separate trial in 2026, allegedly facilitated the entry of Jordan and Washington into Mizell's studio. The assailants, armed with firearms, confronted the Hip-Hop star, who had a .380-caliber handgun nearby and was playing video games with Rincon.
“Jason stood up and Jordan greeted him, then pulled out his .40-caliber gun,” Gonzalez said. The shooting resulted in a shot to the head for Mizell and a leg injury for Rincon.
Jam Master Jay provided shelter to Ronald Washington weeks before the murder
The trial also brought to light the DJ's involvement in the drug world, challenging his family's long-standing claim that he was not associated with drugs. Prosecutors argued that financial struggles in his post-Run-DMC days led Mizell to delve into cocaine deals in the mid-1990s, reported the New York Post.
Ralph Mullgrav, a convicted drug dealer, testified that Mizell, known for anti-drug advocacy, was a minor player moving small amounts of cocaine “here and there.” Nevertheless, Mullgrav detailed a larger deal involving Washington in Baltimore, ultimately leading to the revenge plot.
Witnesses described Mizell as a generous person, supporting friends and family, even providing shelter to Washington by letting him sleep on his sister’s couch in the weeks before the murder.
