You are reading

Two Queens Men Indicted in 2002 Killing of Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay

Photo via Creative Commons Jeff Pinilla, Run DMC

Aug. 18, 2020 By Christian Murray

Two Queens men have been indicted for the 2002 killing of hip hop artist Jam Master Jay–in what federal prosecutors say puts an end to one of the city’s most notorious cold cases.

Ronald Washington, 36, and Karl Jordan Jr., 56, were both charged with murder for the fatal shooting of the hip hop artist inside his recording studio on Oct. 30, 2002 in Jamaica, Queens.

Jam Master Jay, one of the founding members of Run-DMC and whose real name was Jason Mizell, was shot in cold blood at his Merrick Boulevard recording studio following a dispute over a drug deal, according to federal prosecutors.

According to investigators, Mizell acquired approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine from a narcotics supplier in the Midwest. The cocaine was intended to be distributed in Maryland by Washington, Jordan and other co-conspirators.

Mizell, however, cut Washington out of the deal following a dispute, which precipitated the murder.

Jordan, who is from Hollis, was identified by prosecutors as the triggerman. He allegedly shot Mizell at close range in the head.

“The gunshots that rang out in a recording studio in Queens nearly 18 year ago, taking this pioneering rap artist’s life, have been answered,” said Dermot Shea, the NYPD commissioner in a statement.

Jordan pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Brooklyn federal court on Monday and was ordered to be held without bail. Meanwhile, Washington, also from Hollis, is set to be arraigned later this week.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Queens man sentenced to 7 years in prison for 2021 attempted kidnapping in Richmond Hill: DA

A Fresh Meadows man was sentenced to seven years in prison for attempting to kidnap a 5-year-old boy in Richmond Hill in July 2021, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Tuesday.

James McGonagle, 27, of Parsons Boulevard, pleaded guilty in Queens Supreme Court in November to attempted kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a child for grabbing the child off a sidewalk before his mother and siblings thwarted the abduction.

Lawmakers secure federal funding to combat flooding in Queens after impact of Hurricane Ida and other storms

U.S. Congresswomen Grace Meng and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, announced on Jan. 7 that President Joe Biden has signed their legislation into law to address severe flooding in Queens.

The measure aims to mitigate future disasters like those caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida in September 2021, which inundated the borough with record-shattering rainfall.

Op-ed | New York’s ground lease co-ops: Our families can’t wait any longer 

Jan. 14, 2025 By Michael Tang 

Last December brought a long-awaited victory for New York City. Our City Council adopted the historic City of Yes housing plan, paving the way for more than 80,000 new homes by 2040 with the promise of affordability. As a longtime resident of Flushing, Queens, I naturally welcomed the news – it’s a much-needed reprieve for New Yorkers as housing costs continue to soar in the midst of an unparalleled housing crisis. But entering 2025 on the heels of this win, we residents at  Murray Hill Cooperative remain at risk — our lives are virtually unchanged because we belong to the last class of unprotected “tenants” as ground lease co-op residents. Without legislative action, more than 25,000 New Yorkers face the threat of losing their homes — homes that we own — to landowners seeking to raise our ground rent to astronomical rates.