In a surprising turn of events, a dying thief who confessed to stealing a pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in "The Wizard of Oz" has been given no prison time at his sentencing hearing. Terry Jon Martin, 76, stole the slippers in 2005 from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. It was revealed that Martin was motivated by an old associate with connections to the mob who told him the shoes needed to be adorned with real jewels in order to justify their $1 million insured value.

Martin, who is currently in hospice care and expected to die within six months, showed little emotion as the judge handed down the sentence. He was unable to rise from his chair as the judge adjourned the hearing. Both the defense and prosecution recommended that Martin be sentenced to time served due to his poor health. Martin suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and requires constant oxygen therapy. He was in a wheelchair when he pleaded guilty to theft of a major artwork in October.

The theft of the ruby slippers remained a mystery until this month when Martin's defense attorney, Dane DeKrey, revealed his client's motivation. Martin had hoped to remove what he believed were real rubies from the shoes and sell them. However, a fence, or someone who deals in stolen goods, informed Martin that the rubies were actually sequins and glass beads. After learning this, Martin got rid of the slippers, giving them to his old associate with mob ties, and never heard from him again.

DeKrey explained that Martin had seemed to have put his criminal past behind him after finishing his last prison term nearly 10 years ago. However, the allure of "one last score" proved too tempting for Martin to resist. Despite his attorney's argument that Martin had transformed into a contributing member of society, his criminal history and the severity of the theft could have resulted in a sentence of 4 1/2 to 6 years under federal sentencing guidelines.

The recovery of the stolen slippers came in 2018 when someone else tried to claim a reward for them. The FBI, who never disclosed exactly how they tracked down the slippers, discovered that they were in pristine condition. The slippers were one of four pairs worn by Judy Garland during the filming of "The Wizard of Oz." The other three pairs are held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, and a private collector.

The Judy Garland Museum, located in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, where Garland lived until she was four years old, boasts the world's largest collection of Garland and "Wizard of Oz" memorabilia. However, John Kelsh, the founding director of the museum, doubts that the stolen slippers will ever return to Grand Rapids. They are currently being held for safekeeping by an auction house that plans to sell them after a promotional tour.

The sentencing of Terry Jon Martin marks the end of a chapter in the ongoing saga of the stolen ruby slippers. The slippers, with an estimated market value of $3.5 million, hold significant cultural significance and are a cherished piece of Hollywood history. While the thief may have escaped prison time due to his declining health, the impact of his actions will forever be remembered.