Paris, France – A long-lost marble bust of iconic American rock star Jim Morrison has resurfaced in Paris, 37 years after it was mysteriously stolen from his grave in the famous Père-Lachaise cemetery.
French police confirmed on Friday that the statue was recovered during an unrelated financial crime investigation. The bust, sculpted by Croatian artist Mladen Mikulin in 1981 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Morrison’s death, vanished in 1988 and had remained missing ever since.
Its disappearance left fans of The Doors and Morrison mystified for decades, with the grave often marked only by flowers and graffiti left by devoted visitors.
According to a post made by the French police’s financial and anti-corruption division on Instagram, the bust was found by chance while officers were investigating a fraud case.
Though they released a photograph of the statue, which shows it still missing its mouth and nose as it was prior to the theft, authorities have not disclosed any further details about how or where it was discovered.
No suspects have been named, and the investigation into the original theft remains unresolved. The unexpected discovery has reignited interest in Morrison’s final resting place.
The lead singer of The Doors, known for hits like Light My Fire and Riders on the Storm, died in 1971 at the age of 27.
He was found dead in the bathtub of his Paris apartment by his girlfriend Pamela Courson. An autopsy was never performed, but the official cause of death was recorded as heart failure, likely aggravated by alcohol use.
Morrison, a native of Florida and the son of a U.S. Navy admiral, was living in the Marais district of Paris at the time of his death.
His grave, located in the so-called “poet’s corner” of Père-Lachaise alongside those of Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde, quickly became a pilgrimage site for fans around the world. The bust, once a focal point of the site, had been defaced before it was stolen, but its symbolic importance endured.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, a representative for Morrison’s estate said the family was “happy to hear the news” that the statue had been found. “This piece of history belongs with Jim, and it’s gratifying to see that it’s been recovered,” they added.
Despite the recovery, it remains uncertain whether the bust will be returned to the gravesite. The curator of Père-Lachaise cemetery told Le Figaro that police had not yet contacted them about the statue’s future. “I don’t know whether the bust will be returned to us,” the curator said.
The statue’s rediscovery also recalls past tensions surrounding the grave. In 1991, on the 20th anniversary of Morrison’s death, fans rioted at the site, leading to police intervention.
Though the mystery of its theft lingers, the statue’s reappearance marks a symbolic reunion with Morrison’s enduring legacy in Paris — a city that has long embraced his mystique and mourned his early death.
