Thirty-seven years after it went missing, French police recovered the graffiti-covered bust while carrying out a search in a separate fraud investigation
After nearly 40 years, a bust of Jim Morrison stolen from his gravesite at the famous Père-Lachaise cemetery in Paris has been found.
French police rediscovered the marble bust while carrying out a search in a completely unrelated fraud investigation. Authorities have yet to share further details, meaning there’s still some mystery left as to who’s responsible for decapitating the statue, and where it’s been hiding all these years. It’s also unclear if the statue will now be returned to Morrison’s gravesite.
A rep for the Morrison estate tells Rolling Stone it was “happy to hear the news” of the statue’s re-discovery, adding, “Obviously it’s a piece of history, and one Jim’s family wanted there on his grave, so it’s gratifying to see that it’s been recovered.”
The bust of Morrison was sculpted by Croatian artist Mladen Mikulin and unveiled in 1981 on the 10th anniversary of Morrison’s death. During its seven year stint atop Morrison’s headstone, fans took to covering the bust in graffiti, as well as chipping off parts souvenirs. A photo shared by French authorities following the bust’s recovery showed it covered in writing and still missing its nose.
There have of course been plenty of rumors regarding the theft since the statue went missing. Two anonymous fans claimed credit for the heist in Globe magazine a few weeks after the statue went missing (per Vanity Fair). While some have long speculated that it was actually the Père-Lachaise that removed the bust in an effort to preserve it.
Morrison’s grave has, of course, long been a shrine for Doors fans, who have flocked to the cemetery for years, to pay their respects. Along with adorning Morrison’s tomb with graffiti, fans have also taken to scrawling directions to the tomb on the gravestones of other people buried at Père-Lachaise.