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Police Close To Charging Suspect In JMJ, Stretch Murders,
Feds Continue Investigation Into Hip-Hop
Date: 4/22/07
An unnamed female witness claims that Ronald Tinard Washington allegedly
confessed to his role in the 1995 shooting of Tupac
Shakur's associate Randy "Stretch" Walker and the 2002 shooting
of Jam Master Jay at his Hollis, Queens studio.
According to the Boston Globe, Washington revealed the information
during his armed robbery trial for unrelated crimes.
The 43-year-old career criminal revealed that he expected to be charged
as an accessory to murder for his alleged role in both shootings.
He was convicted last week for a string of armed robberies committed
during Nov. of 2002, shortly after Jam Master Jay was gunned down and
denied being involved in the shooting of Jam Master Jay.
Washington admitted that he was in the studio the same day as Jam Master
Jay, to "protect" him from unknown individuals and that Run DMC member
was scared for his life.
In 2003, Washington claimed that Jay feared for his life for unknown
reasons and that he witnessed Jay with a .45 caliber handgun the day
he was murdered.
Sources say that Jay pulled the gun on an individual
named "Goldie" in the recording studio the night before the shooting,
in a dispute over a past debt.
Washington originally told investigators that he saw Karl "Big D." Jordan
and his son Karl "Little D." Jordan Jr. enter the studio moments before
Jam Master Jay was shot to death.
Little D was later charged with attempted murder, weapons possession
and assault charges, after allegedly shooting Jam Master Jay's nephew
Boe Skagz in the leg in 2003.
The 1995 Shakur shooting and the shooting of Jam Master Jay are a part
of an ongoing federal investigation into violence in the Hip-Hop industry.
A number of rappers are
expected to be indicted for their roles in other violent acts in the
next few months.
Randy "Stretch" Walker was a producer/rapper who hailed from Queens,
New York and was an associate of Tupac Shakur.
Shakur accused Walker, Sean "Diddy" Combs and Christopher "Notorious
B.I.G." of helping to orchestra a 1994 shooting in the lobby of Quad
Recording Studios in Manhattan in a robbery attempt.
Walker
was gunned down on Nov. 30, 1995, exactly one year after the Quad shooting.
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