NYPD Homicide Detective Derrick Parker was retired at the time of Jay’s death, but he was called back in to help with the investigation,Crime Watch Daily reported. “I spent a lot of time talking to Lydia,” Parker said. “Lydia had to know who they were before she buzzed them in. It had to be somebody she knew.”
Names of possible suspects at the time included Karl “Little D” Jordan Jr., Darren “Big D” Jordan. Big D was an executive at Def Jam Records. Little D, now accused of the murder at age 37, was a hip-hop artist and would have been about 18 or younger at the time.
“They were friends with Jay, they knew him from the neighborhood,” said Parker.
Police questioned Little D, but he was released and not charged until this week. Both father and son deny any involvement in Jay’s killing. Big D called for justice for Jay in the documentary “2 Turntables and a Microphone: The Life and Death of Jam Master Jay.”
Jay’s business partner, Randy Allen, was also a person of interest.
“We know Randy ran out, saw what happened, I think he had drawn a weapon that he might have had, and he might have fired some shots at the guys when they were running as they left,” Parker said.
Investigators discovered an insurance policy that showed Allen would have a lot to gain financially if Jay died. Bonita, Jay’s sister, told Playboy in 2003 that Randy and Jay had taken out an insurance policy on each other and were listed as beneficiaries if either came to harm in the studio. After the killing, she said Randy drained all the money from a joint bank account.
“This theory with Randy about the insurance money was explored by police and myself, and I don’t really think that held a lot of weight,” Parker told Crime Watch Daily.
Allen was never charged and denied any involvement in the killing.
