Run-DMC Star Jam Master Jay Killed by Childhood Friend, Godson, Jury Informs, According to Reuters

By Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK – The 2002 murder of Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay, one of hip-hop’s most notorious unsolved cases, is believed to have been committed by the rap pioneer’s godson and a childhood friend, federal prosecutors stated to a jury on Monday as the trial for the accused started in New York City.

Ronald Washington, 59, and Karl Jordan Jr., 40, have pleaded not guilty to federal charges of murder related to drug trafficking in the shooting of Jam Master Jay, the stage name of Jason Mizell, a founding member of Run-DMC, at his recording studio in New York.

Mizell was instrumental in bringing hip-hop into the mainstream during the 1980s with his bandmates, delivering hits such as "It’s Tricky" and the collaboration with Aerosmith on "Walk This Way," from the acclaimed 1986 album "Raising Hell."

Despite their songs often promoting anti-drug messages, including a public service announcement for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in the late 1980s, Mizell reportedly turned to cocaine dealing to support his music career as his success declined in the 1990s, according to the prosecution’s opening statements in Brooklyn.

He was 37 years old when he was fatally shot on October 30, 2002, shortly after acquiring 10 pounds of cocaine intended for sale in Baltimore, according to federal charges. Prosecutors claim that Jordan, Mizell’s godson, and Washington, a friend residing with Mizell’s sister, were angered when Mizell excluded them from a lucrative drug deal valued at nearly $200,000, prompting them to plot his murder.

"It was an ambush. An execution, motivated by greed and revenge," said Miranda Gonzalez, a prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York’s Eastern District.

Defense attorneys for both Washington and Jordan asserted their clients were not responsible for Mizell’s death. John Diaz, representing Jordan, highlighted that prosecution witnesses would share testimonies about events that unfolded over 20 years ago, with some cooperating with federal investigators for leniency in their own criminal matters.

Ezra Spilke, Washington’s attorney, noted his client’s struggles with alcoholism at the time, emphasizing that Washington relied on Mizell for support and questioned why he would betray someone who helped him. He added that there was no forensic evidence linking Washington to the murder, only "aging memories."

If convicted, Washington and Jordan could face life imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum of 20 years. A third defendant, Jay Bryant, has also been indicted in connection with the murder and is set for a separate trial in 2026.

According to prosecutors, Mizell was in his recording studio located in Hollis, a neighborhood in eastern Queens where he and the accused grew up. At the time, Mizell’s manager, Lydia High, and friend Tony Rincon were present, along with three others working on music in the studio.

Bryant, a friend of Jordan whom Mizell did not know, allegedly opened the front door and allowed Washington and Jordan, both armed with handguns, to enter through a locked back fire exit, prosecutors contended. Mizell stood up to greet his godson, at which point Jordan fatally shot him at close range, and all three defendants fled the scene shortly afterward.

Gonzalez stated that Rincon and High would testify and explain why they delayed revealing the identities of the assailants to investigators.

Diaz argued that authorities had constructed a weak case and accused them of targeting the wrong individuals. "They have no clue who did it," he declared.