Ronald Washington, Karl Jordan Jr. Charged in Jam Master Jay Murder

Two Queens men, Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan, Jr., were indicted today on murder charges in the long-cold execution of hip-hop legend Jason Mizell, better known as Jam Master Jay, shot dead inside his recording studio on October 30, 2002. The 10-count indictment, unsealed in the Eastern District of New York, alleges Washington and Jordan ambushed Mizell at his 24/7 Studio on Merrick Boulevard in Hollis, Queens, killing him in a cold-blooded hit tied to a failed cocaine deal.

According to court filings, Washington and Jordan entered the studio around 7:30 p.m. armed with firearms. Washington allegedly pointed his gun at a bystander and forced him to the floor. Jordan then approached Mizell, pointed his weapon, and fired two shots at close range—one striking Mizell in the head, killing him instantly; the other hitting another man in the leg. The murder, which stunned the music world, remained unsolved for nearly 18 years, until dogged work by NYPD’s Cold Case Squad, the FBI, and ATF cracked the case wide open.

Federal prosecutors say the motive stemmed from a narcotics dispute. Mizell had reportedly obtained about 10 kilograms of cocaine from a Midwest supplier, originally intended for distribution in Maryland by Washington, Jordan, and associates. When Mizell told Washington he would no longer allow him to handle the drug deal, the defendants allegedly plotted revenge. The murder, prosecutors say, was retaliation for being cut out of a major drug operation.

Karl Jordan, Jr. was arrested yesterday and is set to appear via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom this afternoon. Ronald Washington is already in federal custody and will be arraigned at a later date. Both men face charges of murder while engaged in narcotics trafficking and firearm-related murder. Jordan also faces one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and seven separate counts of cocaine distribution.

“The defendants allegedly carried out the cold-blooded murder of Jason Mizell, a brazen act that has finally caught up with them,” said Seth D. DuCharme, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “The charges announced today begin to provide a measure of justice to the family and friends of the victim, and make clear that the rule of law will be upheld, whether that takes days, months or decades.”

“The gunshots that rang out in a recording studio in Queens nearly 18 years ago, taking this pioneering rap artist’s life, have been answered,” declared NYPD Commissioner Dermot F. Shea. “Today’s indictment shows that no amount of time passed can erase the commitment of our detectives and federal partners to justice.” If convicted, each defendant faces a minimum of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The charges remain allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.