In 2005, a pair of ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz went missing, prompting a 13-year search for the iconic piece of film history. The famous footwear was stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Michigan, and sure enough, that’s where the alleged culprit has reportedly been found.
Terry Martin, a 76-year-old man who lives 12 miles from the museum, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for the theft of the missing slippers. However, little information has been provided on how Martin was identified as the main suspect.
Via Star Tribune:
The one-page indictment offered no clues about how the theft was carried out or how the FBI determined that Martin was responsible.
Reached by phone Wednesday at his home, Martin told the Star Tribune, “I gotta go on trial. I don’t want to talk to you.”
At the time of theft, the slippers were insured for $1 million, but current fair market appraisal values the slippers at $3.5 million, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in North Dakota said in a statement announcing the indictment.
After years of false leads, the ruby red slippers were recovered during a 2018 sting operation that relied on tipsters in both Michigan and Florida. Little information was provided then, either, but the feds said they were looking at a suspect.
While the FBI showed off the iconic slippers during a press conference confirming they’ve been found, the pieces of Hollywood history have yet to be publicly displayed since the heist.
(Via Star Tribune)