Who stole Judy Garland's ruby red slippers? The 'Wizard of Oz' theft case explained

Nearly 20 years since the initial heist, the case of the infamous theft of the "Wizard of Oz" ruby red slippers from the Judy Garland Museum continues to unfold.

The original man charged with the theft, an ailing mobster named Terry Jon Martin, was finally sentenced in January of this year, while a second man was charged just this month with involvement in the crime.

Martin, 76, was recently given a sentence that allowed him to skip prison time due to his failing health. Martin confessed in October 2023 to stealing the shoes from the museum in the actress' hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota in 2005. He was charged with theft of a major artwork.

The second man, Jerry Hal Saliterman, 76, of Crystal, MN, made his first court appearance on Friday, March 15. Like Martin, he appeared to be suffering from failing health, appearing in front of the judge with an oxygen tank and in a wheelchair, reported the Associated Press. He is charged with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering.

'No place like home': Dying mobster who stole 'Wizard of Oz' ruby slippers won't go to prison

Saliterman allegedly threatened witness, concealed 'Wizard of Oz' slippers

According to the indictment unsealed on Sunday, Saliterman was involved in the theft from its occurrence in August 2005 up until the FBI recovered the slippers in July 2018. Saliterman allegedly "received, concealed, and disposed of an object of cultural heritage worth at least $100,000," accused the indictment, including "an authentic pair of 'ruby slippers' worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie 'The Wizard of Oz.'"

The indictment also claims that Saliterman intimidated a witness to prevent her from speaking with the FBI, allegedly threatening to "take her down with him" and "distribute sex tapes of her to her family."

Saliterman did not enter a plea at his Friday appearance and was released on his own recognizance. John Brink, Saliterman's attorney, told AP after the hearing that his client was not guilty and "hadn't done anything wrong."

Terry Jon Martin's role in 2005 theft of Judy Garland's ruby red slippers

The slippers, one of four known pairs worn by Garland during the filming of "The Wizard of Oz," were on display at the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota in August of 2005 when they went missing.

They were lifted in the middle of the night, police said at the time. Later, Martin's attorney released a memo describing the crime, saying Martin had discovered the shoes, which he believed to be adorned with real rubies, were on display close to where he lived.

Thinking they would secure a  "handsome price" on the black market, Martin, who had never even seen "The Wizard of Oz" and who said he was unaware of their cultural significance, said he easily stole the slippers by breaking a hole in a window to the museum and then breaking the plexiglass the slippers were displayed behind.

The memo claimed that Martin only had the slippers for two days before realizing the attached gems were fake. He said he gave them to an associate for no pay, thinking them worthless, and apparently swore off crime after this final "failed' heist.

FBI gets the famous ruby red slippers back 13 years later

From there, investigators spent 13 years chasing down leads, many of which came flooding in over the years from across the country and beyond.

Finally, in 2018, a man contacted the company that had insured the slippers and said he had information on how the shoes could be returned. They were later recovered in an FBI sting operation at the end of a year-long investigation.

The slippers were taken to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, where they were identified as a "traveling pair" that were insured for $1 million and appraised at $3.5 million for their value as "among the most recognizable memorabilia in American film history," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of North Dakota.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Wizard of Oz' ruby red slippers: What to know about the bizarre theft