Noor Malhotra
‘Remastered: Who Killed Jam Master Jay’ (available on Netflix) is an insightful look into the murder of one of the pioneers of hip-hop as a musical genre. The incident occurred on October 30, 2002, in Jamaica, Queens, in Jay’s own recording studio. After a staggering 18 years, the police have finally indicted two people— Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr.
Where is Ronald Washington Now?
When Ronald Washington had no place to stay, it was Jay who gave him shelter at his mother’s house. However, since the inception of the case, he has been a suspect in the eyes of the authorities. He was present in the studio that day, and had regular access to it.
According to Washington, he was given $200 by Jay to go buy some bullets for the gun that Jay was carrying. But some family members have questioned this and wondered if he was just saying it to cover up his tracks. A witness claimed that he held her at gunpoint while the other person shot Jay. Though he was the prime suspect, the police did not arrest him then. It was reported that Washington was shot at multiple times in the wake of the murder, and was even forced to leave town.
Today, the 56-year old is already serving a 17-year sentence for a string of robberies at gunpoint a few years ago. Because of this, he will not be arraigned just yet. He was convicted on federal charges. To increase his potential sentence, the prosecution even wrote to the judge in 2007, informing the court of his criminal past, in which the murder was also mentioned. He had allegedly confined in a female friend about his involvement in it. However, in an interview, he stated that he was on his way back to the studio when he saw Jay’s childhood friend Darren Jordan and his son, Karl.
Where is Karl Jordan Jr. Now?
Karl “Lil D” Jordan was an aspiring rapper at the time of the murder. His father had played a pivotal role in Run-D.M.C.’s early years. Therefore, Karl already knew Jay. A witness stated that the man who pulled the trigger on Jay had a tattoo on his neck. Washington also stated that Jordan came to him and said that his father wasn’t supposed to shoot the now deceased. Now 36, Jordan was taken into custody on August 16, 2020, and has pled not guilty for all the charges he faces.
The police believe that back in 2002, Jay was in possession of 10 kgs of cocaine that was to be distributed by both Washington and Jordan. However, it is believed that they killed him in cold blood when he cut them out of the deal. Each has been charged with murder while engaged in narcotics trafficking and firearm-related murder. Jordan additionally faces one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and 7 counts of cocaine distribution. Both face life in prison, or even the death penalty, if they are convicted.
The arrests have been made after an almost two-decade hiatus, and the prosecutors said this at a press conference— “To the family and friends of Mr. Mizell who’ve endured a heavy burden of grief over these many years: We hope that today’s arrest and indictments and this announcement will bring some measure of peace knowing those responsible will be held accountable.” (Featured Image Credit: CNN)
Read More: How Did Jam Master Jay Die?
