Jam Master Jay Murder Investigation: Six Years Later, What's The Status?

No closure after more than half a decade?

The murder of hip-hop icon Jam Master Jay — which took place on October 30, 2002 — is still unsolved, and as another year passes without any significant breakthroughs in the case — no new evidence, fresh leads or confessions — hope of finding the killers fades a little more. You would think that the brutal murder of one of the most beloved figures in hip-hop in a high-profile crime that shocked the nation would have produced at least a couple of suspects by now.

But, sadly, like the murders of two other rap icons — the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur — years after the crime, all we're left with is rumors, speculation and a maddening lack of closure for friends, fans and family.

"It's a shame that we're still at this juncture," said Derrick Parker, a former NYPD investigator and author of "Notorious C.O.P.: The Inside Story of the Tupac, Biggie and Jam Master Jay Investigations from NYPD's First 'Hip-Hop Cop.' " "Homicides like this happen all the time in the streets, but this case is different because of who Jay was."

At the time of his death at age 37, Jam Master Jay (born Jason Mizell) had already achieved worldwide fame as the turntablist and founding member of Run-DMC, arguably the most influential hip-hop group of all time. Jay elevated the cut-and-scratch to an art form and helped define DJing as we know it.

With so much time since his murder, some observers fear the case may be going cold. "I see very little chance of this ever being solved," said Ethan Brown, author of "Queens Reigns Supreme: Fat Cat, 50 Cent and the Rise of the Hip-Hop Hustler" "Even if there is a break in the case and they make an arrest and it goes to trial, you could easily destroy the credibility of the witnesses."

Indeed, after six years, Jam Master Jay's murder has become more about the witnesses than the victim and about an investigation that has seen differences of opinion over everything from motive (was the murder drug-related or was it a personal dispute?) to methodology (did NYPD detectives fail to provide adequate protection for key witnesses?).

Many observers think witnesses might not be doing enough to help solve the crime. Compounding that problem is the view that the authorities have not been aggressive enough in pursuing persons of interest in the case, including Ronald "Tinard" Washington, a convicted armed robber currently in prison on an unrelated charge who was staying with Jay's sister and cousin in Jay's mother's home at the time of the murder and who had clashed with Jay.

Another major roadblock to solving the crime is the turmoil between Jay's family and Randy Allen, the DJ's close friend and business partner, whom some suspect knows more about the murder than he has been willing to discuss publicly.

"Imagine your best friend getting killed right in front of you," said a source close to the investigation who prefers to remain anonymous. "How do you not say anything? How do you not tell the police?" Criticism has also fallen on receptionist Lydia High, who identified Washington as one of the gunmen who entered Jay's 24/7 Studio on the night of the murder but who police failed to arrest.

Questions about trust and truthfulness among Jay's inner circle are raised in a new documentary on the DJ's life and legacy, "Two Turntables and a Microphone," directed by Guy Logan and produced by Jam Master's cousin, Stephon "Phonz" Watford. The film premiered in June at the Hollywood Black Film Festival and is executive-produced by 50 Cent.

"I wanna say thank you to 50 Cent for being a part of this documentary that's coming out with his album [Before I Self Destruct] that's about the life of Jam Master Jay," Russell Simmons told MTV News. "It reaffirms his legacy for his family. It's helpful. It's good the industry still recognizes him. His influence was profound, like [Jay discovering] 50 Cent. ... Jay's life is something I definitely celebrate."