Man charged with hiding ruby slippers dies; case dismissed
Jerry Hal Saliterman, a man charged with hiding the famous ruby red slippers from "The Wizard of Oz," has died. He was 77 years old. His death on Sunday led to the dismissal of a federal criminal case against him. Saliterman was indicted in March 2024 on serious charges, including theft of major artwork and witness tampering. Court documents reveal he was accused of concealing the slippers from August 2005 until the FBI recovered them in July 2018. The slippers are considered a significant cultural artifact, valued at over $100,000. The indictment stated that Saliterman knew the shoes were stolen from The Judy Garland Museum in Minnesota. Another man, Terry Jon Martin, had admitted to stealing the slippers and was given a sentence that included time served and restitution. Saliterman’s health had been declining. He was in the hospital for over a month and was later moved to hospice care. Despite being mentally aware of his situation, he suffered from severe health issues, including COPD and Parkinson’s Disease.