A federal judge has ruled that a South Dakota museum is the legal owner of a guitar played by Elvis Presley.
The Martin D-35 guitar has been on display at the National Music Museum since 2013.
Tennessee-based collector Larry Moss claimed he was the rightful owner.
He said the memorabilia broker who donated the instrument to the Vermillion museum in 2013 had no rights to it.
A judge ruled Monday that Moss never owned the title, never possessed the guitar and never paid for it.
The court found the museum received the guitar’s title in 2013 and is the legal owner.
Presley played the guitar during his 1977 tour and gave it to a fan in St. Petersburg, Florida, when it was damaged.
He died six months later.
Photo by Tony Jones
