A man suspected of stealing the iconic ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the film The Wizard of Oz has been indicted by a grand jury in North Dakota. Terry Martin, a 76-year-old from Grand Rapids, Minnesota, now faces one count of theft of a major artwork after the shoes were stolen in 2005 and later recovered in 2018.
The slippers were on loan to the Judy Garland museum when they were stolen, and despite years of speculation, the burglary was determined to not be an inside job. The slippers were recovered through an FBI sting operation led by an anonymous informant. The shoes were sent to the Smithsonian for examination by conservators, who later confirmed their authenticity.
The slippers are worth more than $3.5 million now, up from their insured value of $1 million at the time of the theft. There are only four known remaining pairs of the ruby slippers, and Martin is accused of taking one of them. The recovered slippers are currently owned by an insurance company and in FBI custody.
Martin has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen goods dating back to 1986. He was also charged in parallel filings for stealing prescription drugs from pharmacies. While Martin has yet to be arrested, he is expected to appear in court soon.
The Judy Garland museum would like to be considered as a future home for the slippers once the criminal case is settled. The owner of the recovered slippers noted that they were in “pristine” condition, just as they were before the theft over 15 years ago.
The theft of these ruby slippers was a significant loss to the Judy Garland museum and an even greater loss to movie history. With Martin’s indictment, there may be hope that justice will finally be served and that these beloved shoes will find a deserving and secure home for years to come.
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