What did Terry Martin do? Minnesota man charged with theft of Judy Garland's 'Wizard of Oz' ruby slippers

On Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 76-year-old Minnesota man Terry Martin was indicted for the 2005 theft of the ruby red slippers featured in Judy Garland's Wizard of Oz. According to the FBI, the slipper was first recovered in July 2018, after an unidentified man tipped off authorities about their potential whereabouts. Despite this, no charges were brought to Martin until 2023. Officials have not disclosed the evidence that led to the pressing of charges.

On Wednesday, May 17, 2023, prosecutors announced that Terry Martin has officially been charged with one count of theft of a major artwork. When reached by Minnesota Star Tribune, he refused to comment on the ongoing case.

ABC noted that it remains unclear whether the suspected art thief has legal representation.

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Timeline of the allegations against Terry Martin

The ruby red slippers were first featured in Judy Garland's 1939 film adaptation of Wizard of Oz. Due to the film's iconic status, the shoes were put on display at the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

While they were officially owned by Hollywood Memorabilia collector Michael Shaw, he loaned them for display at the museum. It was one of four pairs used in the film.

In August 2005, Terry Martin entered the museum, smashed the display glass and stole the Ruby Red slippers. BBC noted that no alarm was set off, nor were any fingerprints left at the scene.

The US Attorney's Office for the District of North Dakota noted that the slippers were worth $3.5 million, and that they were insured for $1 million when they were stolen. Early on in the case, law enforcement offered $250,000 for anyone who could tell investigators the whereabouts of the slippers.

In 2017, an unidentified man told the insurer for the shoes that he could get them back. The FBI quickly became involved and launched a year-long investigation. The FBI eventually set up a sting operation, before retrieving the shoes in Minneapolis in July 2018. At the time, no arrests were made.

Officials have not announced the new evidence that led to the arrest of Terry Martin. Martin reportedly lived in the same town where the Judy Garland museum was. Authorities added that when museum staff were informed that the 76-year-old had been arrested nearly two decades after the theft, they were left speechless.

Terry Van Horn, the spokesman for the U.S. Justice Department in North Dakota, said that the first court hearing is scheduled for June 1 via video call.

According to the Guardian, the ruby red slippers were made from at least a dozen different materials including wood pulp, silk thread, gelatin, plastic and glass. The other three pairs featured in the film are being held by the Smithsonian, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and a private collector.