Three Suspects Now Charged in Connection With the 2002 Shooting Death of Run-DMC Star Jam Master Jay

A third man has been charged in connection with the 2002 shooting death of Run-DMC star Jam Master Jay, according to prosecutors.

On May 30, federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York filed a superseding indictment charging 49-year-old Jay Bryant in the death of Jam Master Jay, according to Billboard.

On Oct. 30, 2002, the hip-hop trailblazer was shot in the head in his studio, as Front Page Detectives previously reported. In August 2020, Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr. were indicted for the death of Jay, Billboard reported.

Bryant’s attorney, César de Castro, told Billboard, “Securing an indictment in a secret grand jury, applying an extremely low burden of proof, is one thing. Proving it at trial is another matter.”

Bryant was already in custody on unrelated federal drug charges, officials said.

When the other two men were charged in August 2020, officials stated that Jay's death was linked to a drug deal gone bad.

In a letter submitted to the court on May 30, prosecutors alleged Bryant and the two other men had entered the building that evening and fled after the shooting. Officials said Bryant was seen re-entering the building, and his DNA was recovered at the crime scene.

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Jay was part of Run-DMC with Joseph “Run” Simmons and Darryl “DMC” McDaniel in the early 1980s. The group had a slew of hits, including “King of Rock,” “It’s Tricky” and “Walk This Way.”

For years, Jay’s death lingered as a cold case. Witnesses were hesitant to speak up despite reward money being offered, officials said.