Entertainment Music Third Man Charged in Fatal 2002 Shooting of Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay The rapper was shot in the head while playing video games at his studio on Oct. 30, 2002 By Tracey Harrington McCoy Tracey Harrington McCoy Tracey Harrington McCoy is a celebrity news writer at PEOPLE Digital. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, Newsweek, Parents Magazine, AOL, and Huffington Post. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 31, 2023 10:25AM EDT Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC. Photo: Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images More than two decades after Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay was killed, a third man has been charged in the shooting. Jason "Jay" Mizell, known professionally as Jam Master Jay, was shot in the head at his studio on Oct. 30, 2002 while playing video games. He was 37 at the time of his death. Jay Bryant was charged on Tuesday when federal prosecutors filed an indictment in Brooklyn, according to the Associated Press. Bryant, 49, is already in custody for unrelated drug charges, the outlet further reported. Two men, Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr., were previously charged in the slaying in 2020, according to The New York Times. Bryant’s attorney, César de Castro, said his client will plead not guilty. "The charges were only revealed yesterday," he writes in an email to PEOPLE. "Mr. Bryant will plead not guilty." "We remain confused why, after more than 20 years and charging two individuals three years ago, does the government now allegedly think that they have sufficient evidence to charge Mr. Bryant," Castro writes. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Jam Master Jay in 1985. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images How Rev Run, Justine Simmons Healed After Newborn Daughter's Death: 'I Was Lonely for My Child' On Tuesday, Castro told the AP he just learned of the charges: "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." According to the indictment, Mizell was involved in drug trafficking and the murder was related to a drug deal gone bad, the AP reported. NBC News reported that Castro was spotted entering the studio on Oct. 30, 2002, and a piece of clothing found at the scene contained his DNA. The indictment states that Bryant admitted to participating in the murder, and even claimed to be the shooter, the Times reported. Officials don't believe Bryant pulled the trigger, according to the outlet, and said evidence points to Jordan being the shooter. Run-DMC. Bob Berg/Getty Images Lil Wayne, Missy Elliott, Run-DMC Celebrate 50 Years of Hip-Hop with 2023 Grammys Performance Run-DMC, who is credited with helping launch hip hop music in the 1980s, folded after Mizell’s death in 2002. At his funeral, his bandmates remembered him fondly. "Jam Master Jay was not a thug," bandmate Darryl "DMC" McDaniels emphasized to the overflow crowd inside the Allen A.M.E. Cathedral in Queens, AP reported at the time. "Jam Master Jay was not a gangster. Jam Master Jay was a unique individual … He was the embodiment of hip-hop." McDaniels — who for 20 years was part of Run-DMC along with Mizell and Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons — delivered a rap from the group’s classic song "Jam Master Jay," as the entire audience inside the church joined in to shout out the slain DJ’s name. Those attending the service included Simmons’ brother, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, and performers LL Cool J, Chuck D and Queen Latifah. A fleet of white limos was parked outside the house of worship, while inside, McDaniels stood at the altar surrounded by more than a dozen funeral wreaths — including one in the shape of twin turntables.