Ruby slipper theft suspect dies, ending federal case
Alona Yadav | Mar 17, 2025, 22:57 IST
( Image credit : AP )
Federal prosecutors have concluded legal proceedings against Jerry Hal Saliterman, who passed away amid charges of hiding the stolen ruby slippers from 'The Wizard of Oz'. The slippers, stolen in 2005 and recovered in 2018, recently sold for $32.5 million at auction.
The legal proceedings against a Minnesota man accused of concealing stolen ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz" have concluded following his death, according to federal prosecutors.
Jerry Hal Saliterman, a 77-year-old resident of Crystal, Minnesota, died on Sunday, prompting U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz to dismiss all charges against him. Saliterman had been facing accusations of hiding the iconic sequined shoes worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 classic film.
Federal prosecutor Matthew Greenley filed a one-page motion on Monday notifying the court of Saliterman's passing, though specific details about the circumstances of his death were not provided. Defense attorney John Brink confirmed his client's death but declined to elaborate further.
Saliterman had been scheduled to change his plea to guilty in January, but the hearing was postponed indefinitely after he was hospitalized. Court documents reveal he had been suffering from severe health issues including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring supplemental oxygen, Parkinson's disease, and had recently been transferred to hospice care with a poor prognosis.
The ruby slippers at the center of the case were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, the actress's hometown. Their whereabouts remained unknown for nearly 13 years until the FBI recovered them in 2018. These valuable Hollywood artifacts sold for a record-breaking $32.5 million at auction in December, according to Heritage Auctions.
The original theft was carried out by Terry Jon Martin, now 78, of Grand Rapids. Martin used a hammer to break into the museum and smash the display case containing the slippers. According to his attorney, Martin had been told by an associate with mob connections that the shoes must contain real jewels to justify their $1 million insurance value. Upon discovering they were merely theatrical props, Martin reportedly disposed of them, at which point they came into Saliterman's possession.
Martin pleaded guilty to the theft in 2023 and was sentenced to time served in January due to his own poor health.
The ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz" are among the most recognized pieces of Hollywood memorabilia. The pair involved in this case was one of several used during filming, with only three other pairs known to exist today.
Jerry Hal Saliterman, a 77-year-old resident of Crystal, Minnesota, died on Sunday, prompting U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz to dismiss all charges against him. Saliterman had been facing accusations of hiding the iconic sequined shoes worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 classic film.
Federal prosecutor Matthew Greenley filed a one-page motion on Monday notifying the court of Saliterman's passing, though specific details about the circumstances of his death were not provided. Defense attorney John Brink confirmed his client's death but declined to elaborate further.
Saliterman had been scheduled to change his plea to guilty in January, but the hearing was postponed indefinitely after he was hospitalized. Court documents reveal he had been suffering from severe health issues including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring supplemental oxygen, Parkinson's disease, and had recently been transferred to hospice care with a poor prognosis.
The ruby slippers at the center of the case were stolen in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, the actress's hometown. Their whereabouts remained unknown for nearly 13 years until the FBI recovered them in 2018. These valuable Hollywood artifacts sold for a record-breaking $32.5 million at auction in December, according to Heritage Auctions.
The original theft was carried out by Terry Jon Martin, now 78, of Grand Rapids. Martin used a hammer to break into the museum and smash the display case containing the slippers. According to his attorney, Martin had been told by an associate with mob connections that the shoes must contain real jewels to justify their $1 million insurance value. Upon discovering they were merely theatrical props, Martin reportedly disposed of them, at which point they came into Saliterman's possession.
Martin pleaded guilty to the theft in 2023 and was sentenced to time served in January due to his own poor health.
The ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz" are among the most recognized pieces of Hollywood memorabilia. The pair involved in this case was one of several used during filming, with only three other pairs known to exist today.