18 Years Later: Guilty Plea in Theft of Iconic Ruby Slippers



A man from Minnesota has admitted his guilt in the theft of the famous ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, as reported.


Terry Martin, aged 76, pleaded guilty on Friday to a charge of stealing a significant piece of art, according to Northern News Now, ABC News, and KTSP.

This case dates back nearly 18 years when Martin, who resides in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, was charged. He confessed in a federal courtroom on Friday, confirming the allegations made by authorities. In August 2005, he used a small sledgehammer to break into the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids and then shattered a glass case to take the slippers. He subsequently concealed them in a trailer.


In an unexpected turn, Martin realized that the shoes were not made of ruby but glass. Consequently, he disposed of the pair, though it remains unclear what happened to them subsequently or how the police managed to recover them.

The FBI and Grand Rapids Police Department took possession of the slippers in 2018. These stolen slippers were one of the four remaining pairs used in the movie and hold significant value in the film industry, as stated in the press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Martin's attorney, Dane DeKrey, noted that his client has been cooperative and suggested that Martin is facing his own mortality, prompting him to come forward and acknowledge his actions.


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