In a surprising turn of events, a man charged in the museum robbery of a pair of ruby slippers famously worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" has entered a guilty plea, raising questions about his possible prison sentence due to deteriorating health. However, this development only sheds partial light on a mystery spanning nearly two decades.
Terry Jon Martin, aged 76, admitted guilt to a single charge of stealing a significant artwork. These iconic shoes were pilfered in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, the late actress's hometown, and subsequently recovered by the FBI in 2018.
A pair of crimson slippers, once graced by the iconic actress Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz," were exhibited at an FBI press conference in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, on September 4, 2018. (Jeff Baenen/AP Photo)
The breakthrough arrest took place only this year when Mr. Martin, a resident near Grand Rapids, was formally charged. During his plea hearing in a federal court in Duluth, he confessed to using a hammer to shatter the museum's entrance and display case, seizing the cherished slippers. He claimed to believe the slippers contained authentic rubies and had intended to sell them. However, after being informed by a contact that the rubies were, in fact, glass, he chose to dispose of the slippers.
According to the terms of the plea agreement, Mr. DeKrey and federal prosecutor Matt Greenley have jointly recommended that Mr. Martin not be sentenced to imprisonment, citing his advanced age and fragile health. Mr. Martin, who attended the court proceeding in a wheelchair with oxygen support, suffers from advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, making breathing a daily struggle, as explained by Mr. DeKrey. The proposed sentence aims to grant Mr. Martin the opportunity to spend his remaining days at home, his attorney conveyed.
"He's essentially facing a slow suffocation," Mr. DeKrey emphasized.
Following the hearing, Mr. Martin, who has a prior 1988 conviction for receiving stolen goods, was allowed to remain free on his own recognizance. U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz, Minnesota's chief federal judge, has ordered a presentence investigation and anticipates scheduling the sentencing approximately 2.5 months from now.
Judge Schiltz, while addressing Mr. Martin, clarified that he is not legally obligated to adhere to the sentencing recommendations of the defense and prosecution. According to Mr. DeKrey, federal sentencing guidelines, which are nonbinding, recommend sentences of eight to ten years in comparable cases.
The U.S. attorney's office has stated that it will withhold comments until after Mr. Martin's sentencing.
Judy Garland wore several pairs of ruby slippers during the filming of the timeless 1939 musical, but only four authentic pairs are known to exist. The stolen slippers were insured for $1 million, yet federal prosecutors estimate their current market value at approximately $3.5 million.
In 2017, an individual approached the insurer, claiming the ability to facilitate the return of the slippers. They were ultimately recovered during an FBI operation in Minneapolis. The FBI has chosen not to disclose the specifics of how they managed to locate the slippers, which are currently in their custody.
At the time of the theft, the slippers were on loan to the museum from Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw. Three other pairs worn by Garland in the film are housed at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, and a private collector's archive.
