Jerry Hal Saliterman, 77, of Crystal, Minn., was set to plead guilty in January to theft of a major artwork and witness tampering, but he’d been unable to appear in court due to ongoing health problems, including Parkinson’s disease, sepsis and lung damage.

Salitermann was accused of hiding the pair of ruby red slippers that were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Garland's hometown, Grand Rapids, Minnesota, in 2005. The slippers' location remained a mystery for 13 years before the FBI received a tip.

Jerry Hal Saliterman was allegedly involved in the theft of one of Judy Garland's ruby slippers from a museum in 2005. Prosecutors say he died Sunday.