The man accused of breaking into a museum and running off with the famous shoes from the classic 1939 film has admitted to the crime as he showed up before a judge.
- Oct 13, 2023
AceShowbiz - A man has pleaded guilty to stealing a pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz". Terry Martin, 76, appeared in a Duluth federal courtroom on Friday, October 13, according to CBS News. He's accused of stealing the shoes seen in the classic 1939 film from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids in 2005 and admitted he used a small sledgehammer to break into the museum.
He reportedly "used the tool to crack the case the slippers were in and take them" before driving away and keeping the shoes in a trailer near to his home. Martin then took the shoes to a criminal who buys and resells stolen goods but refused to reveal the identity of any others who could be involved in the case.
Attorney Dane DeKrey, who is not connected to the case, speculated that Martin's ill health was what caused him to plead guilty in the end. He told WCCO, "I think when someone is at the end of their life, they are making decisions that are right for their affairs, and this short answer is because he's guilty."
"I think he wanted to take responsibility and move on with his life - the little life he has left. I think he's lived a fast and loose life and I think he's OK with what's happening now. I think he's at peace with it, frankly."
In "The Wizard of Oz", Judy Garland wore a number of pairs of the famous red high heels for logistical purposes, with five having known to have survived. The pair in question were owned by Michael Shaw and were on loan to the museum dedicated to the actress when they were stolen but were returned to him in 2018 following an FBI operation.
John Kelsch, curator of the Judy Garland Museum, said, "There's some closure, and we do know definitely that Terry Jon Martin did break into our museum, but I'd like to know what happened to them after he let them go."
"Just to do it because he thought they were real rubies and to turn them over to a jewelry fence. I mean, the value is not rubies. The value is an American treasure, a national treasure. To steal them without knowing that seems ludicrous!"
