Retired school teachers who stole millions!

They seemed like the perfect couple: retired schoolteachers, quiet neighbors, world travelers... and secret art thieves?

In this jaw-dropping true story, we uncover the shocking double life of Jerry and Rita Alter — an unassuming New Mexico couple who lived modestly, yet had a stolen $160 million painting hanging in their bedroom. For decades, no one suspected a thing.

0:00 - Intro

0:57 - The Theft

4:29 - The Investigation

5:48 - Jerry’s Early Life

7:25 - Jerry & Rita

16:49 - Settling the Estate

21:26 - Surprising Discovery

25:08 - Getting it back to where it belongs

30:48 - Continued Investigation

32:19 - Evidence against the Alters

36:36 - Other Crimes

41:47 - Other Valuable Items

48:06 - Internet Sleuth Under covers More

50:34 - Final Thoughts

SOURCES:

1st Documentary: https://www.wfaa.com/article/features/originals/discovering-the-de-kooning-a-wfaa-original-documentary/287-503975958#longform_chapter_5

2nd Documentary: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.6cdc30a1-2592-4b3c-910c-247543403954?autoplay=0&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb

https://www.ksfr.org/criminal-justice/2025-06-06/after-40-years-stolen-art-comes-home-to-taos

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/mar/29/the-thief-collector-review-the-ordinary-married-couple-behind-a-massive-art-heist

https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/arizona/2022/10/06/who-were-jerry-and-rita-alter-missing-de-kooning-found-couples-home/8195231001/

https://medium.com/true-crime-road-trip/the-missing-masterpiece-2caebd788a9d

More stolen works: https://www.scdailypress.com/2024/03/15/california-writer-finds-two-stolen-works-estate-now-famous-cliff-couple/

RETURNED: https://medium.com/true-crime-road-trip/detour-artwork-recovered-32bbb154a170

https://medium.com/true-crime-road-trip/taos-homecoming-83219e93512a

https://www.kunc.org/film-reviews/2023-06-09/film-review-a-true-story-stranger-than-fiction

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/18/arts/de-kooning-higgins-sharp-harwood-fbi.html?unlocked_article_code=1.XU8.hQDd.JxNCDG5HEN96

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/08/03/a-small-town-couple-left-behind-a-stolen-painting-worth-over-100-million-and-a-big-mystery/