DEFENDANTS FOUND GUILTY IN MURDER OF JAM MASTER JAY

Jam Master Jay (born Jason Mizell), the legendary DJ for Run-DMC, was killed at his Jamaica, Queens, recording studio in October 2002. More than two decades later, Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington have been found guilty of his murder. Per the Associated Press, the verdict was handed down Tuesday (2/27) by an anonymous federal jury in Brooklyn.

“'It’s no mystery why it took years to indict and arrest the defendants,'” federal prosecutor Breon Peace told reporters after the verdict," as reported by the AP. “'The witnesses in the recording studio knew the killers, and they were terrified that they would be retaliated against if they cooperated with law enforcement and identified the ruthless executioners of Mr. Mizell. But their strength and resolve in testifying at this trial were a triumph of right over wrong and courage over fear.'”

Jordan and Washington could face the death penalty, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Run-DMC—the New York trio of Joseph "Rev Run" Simmons, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels and Jam Master Jay—had one of hip-hop's biggest crossover hits with 1986's "Walk This Way" f/Aerosmith, which peaked at #4 to become their highest-charting Pop single. Run-DMC can also claim a raft of hip-hop firsts.

A new docuseries about the group, Kings From Queens: The Run-DMC Story, was released 2/1 on Peacock. It features former Def Jam publicist Bill Adler, Ice-T, Chuck D, MC Lyte, Ice Cube, Big Daddy Kane and Tom Morello, among others. Watch it here.

Pictured (l-r): Rev Run, Jam Master Jay and DMC