GRAND RAPIDS, MN (Northern News Now) – After almost 20 years, the mystery of who stole Judy Garland’s ruby slippers from a Grand Rapids museum may have come to an end.
A grand jury indicted 76 year old Terry Jon Martin, allegedly from Grand Rapids, with federal charges of theft of a major artwork. The announcement came from federal prosecutors in North Dakota on Wednesday.
The indictment states Martin allegedly took the slippers in August 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, the late actress’ hometown.
The iconic ruby slippers were worn during the filming of the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz” and are one of the only four known surviving pairs from the filming.
Federal prosecutors stated when the slippers were stolen they were insured for $1 million but the current market value is about $3.5 million.
The ruby slippers were recovered during a sting operation in Minneapolis in July 2018.
In a news release, the FBI stated they transported the slippers to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington D.C. to be closely examined and analyzed for evidence of wear and details unique to their use in the 1939 film.
Examination showed that their construction, materials, and wear are consistent with the pair in the museum’s collection, which was donated to the museum by an anonymous donor in 1979.
Martin’s initial court appearance has been set for June 1st in Federal Court.
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