37 years on, a comeback that intrigues Jim Morrison fans…

An icon found by chance in a financial investigation? It’s the incredible twist no one expected.

A symbolic work missing since 1988

The bust of Jim Morrison, installed on his grave in the Père-Lachaise cemetery, had been missing for 37 years. The portrait, sculpted by Croatian artist Mladen Mikulin in 1981, commemorated the tenth anniversary of the legendary Doors singer’s death. But in May 1988, two fans broke into the cemetery to steal it, leaving on a moped with the 128 kilos of stone in their wake. Since then, the work has seemed lost, sparking rumors and urban legends, including the false claim that the cemetery’s conservators had kept it safe.

An unexpected discovery in the middle of an investigation

It was by chance, during a search carried out by the Financial Brigade in a case of fraud, that the Paris police came across the bust. Although damaged (broken nose and mouth), the object still bore the graffiti of fans. Almost intact, according to RTL radio, it was found with no apparent link to the case being investigated.

A legendary tomb under video protection

Since his death, Jim Morrison’s grave has been under video protection. However, other temporary busts, often placed by admirers, have continued to appear on the site. But none match the symbolic importance of the original bust, a true underground icon for devotees of the singer who died in Paris in 1971.

Will Jim Morrison regain his place in Père-Lachaise?

This is the question on fans’ minds: will this historic bust be returned to its original place in the cemetery? Or will it remain a piece apart, bearing witness to an era when even musical relics were coveted like treasures?

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