Federal charges against a Minnesota man, accused of hiding a stolen pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, were dropped Monday after the man died.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A federal judge dismissed the charges Monday against a Minnesota man accused of hiding a stolen pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in the 1939 musical “The Wizard of Oz” after prosecutors informed the court that he died on Sunday.

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