It’s been over five years since Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay was killed by an unknown assailant while at the Queens studio that was his home base, and in that time very little progress has been made in the shooting’s investigation. But a half-decade later, Jay’s former partner, Randy Allen, is claiming that police have long known about a “telltale characteristic” the killer wore around his neck.

Allen told the newspaper he was in the 24/7 studio’s control room at the time of the shooting, while his sister was near the studio entrance.

Allen said she told him that after two gunmen ordered her to get down on the floor, she saw a man with a tattoo on his neck approach Mizell and fire. A first round injured another person; the second was blasted into Mizell’s head from point-blank range.

The AP report has Allen “furious” at the lack of progress on the part of police, saying “This is a case that can be solved.” True, it’s not exactly a fingerprint, but TV has taught us that detectives can always muscle sleazy tattoo-shop proprietors into disclosing who they’ve inked up. Or maybe there are just too many killers with neck tattoos running around New York.

Tattoo Clue In Jam Master Jay Shooting [AP]