Shiltu, a Hutt, served the Black Sun crime syndicate as a vigo, equivalent to a lieutenant, in the final years of the Galactic Republic. Prior to the Clone Wars, Shiltu's treachery against Tarnese Lyanne, a Sakiyan deeply involved in black market and smuggling activities, led to the downfall of her family. In 30 BBY, Shiltu's life concluded abruptly due to a significant cellular hemorrhage, essentially a body-wide stroke; Tarnese Bleyd, a descendant of Lyanne, considered the Hutt's passing to be excessively swift and without sufficient suffering.
The character of Shiltu was initially referenced within the pages of MedStar I: Battle Surgeons, a book authored by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry, released to the public in 2004.