Laurent MAOUS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty; CBS Photo Archive A bust of Jim Morrison made in 1981 by Croatian artist Mladen Mikulin was recovered by French authorities The bust had been missing since 1988 Jim Morrison died at 27 in 1971 in his Paris apartment French police have broken through to the other side of a cold case. Authorities uncovered a statue ofJim Morrisonon Monday, May 19. The artifact had been missing from the Paris cemetery, where the lateDoorsfrontman is buried, since 1988. Paris public prosecutors uncovered the cultural artifact during an unrelated search, a source toldAgence France-Presse(AFP).Morrison, who died at 27in 1971, was buried at Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris. The bust was sculpted by Croatian artist Mladen Mikulin and placed at Morrison's grave in 1981 to honor the 10th anniversary of the singer-songwriter's mysterious death. The art installation was found by the financial and anti-corruption brigade of the judicial police department of the police, perCBS News. A riot broke out in 1991, on the 20th anniversary of the singer's death, at the gravesite, theBBCpreviously reported. This prompted Père Lachaise to hire additional security for the grounds. Morrison's grave is one of the most highly visited musicians' graves in the world, largely because of the rock 'n' roll mythology of Morrison's death. His grave is located in an area of the cemetery known as Poet's Corner, where Édith Piaf, Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein and other notable artists are buried. The Doors lead singer and songwriter was found dead in the bathtub of his Paris apartment at 27. Mark and Colleen Hayward/Getty While family members and friends later spoke out regarding Morrison's struggles with addiction, no autopsy was ever performed, and his cause of death remains one of music's most high-profile unsolved mysteries, perthe Guardian. French authorities ruled that Morrison died from natural causes, pertheNew York Times. An official report from French authorities lists a heart attack "possibly aggravated by excessive drinking," and there were no signs of foul play. JournalistSam Bernett claimed in his 2007 bookThe End: Jim Morrisonthat the late singer's family fabricated reports of his death to protect his legacy. Bernett, a former reporter with theNew York Times,alleged that the singer arrived at the nightclub Bernett once owned, Rock & Roll Circus, looking to buy heroin for his girlfriend, Pamela Courson. After making the purchase, Morrison reportedly disappeared into the bathroom, and Bernett stated that he later found him slumped over the toilet, according toRolling Stone. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "He had his head between his legs," Bernett toldPEOPLEin 2021. "He had white fluid around the lips and the nose, and his eyes were closed. I saw that something was very wrong." Marianne Faithfull, who died in January at 78,previously alleged that her ex-boyfriend, a French drug dealer, killed Morrison. "I could intuitively feel trouble," when the lateJean de Breteuiltold her he was going to visit Morrison. "I thought, I'll take a few Tuinal [barbiturates] and I won't be there." "And [de Breteuil] went to see Jim Morrison and killed him... I mean, I'm sure it was an accident," the late singer toldMojoin 2014. Getty Morrison, along with the Doors, were early pioneers of the psychedelic blues-rock that would define the late 1960s and early 1970s. With an affinity for literature and poetry, Morrison managed to pay homage to his bookish roots and blend them with the bohemian flair of the period that would inspire generations of musicians to come. In February, Paris named a bridge after the iconic singer, located just steps from the Marais district where he lived prior to his death, CBS reports. In January, Judy Huddleston, an ex-girlfriend of the late rockstar,alleged that Morrison raped herduring their relationship. The allegation came forth in the documentary seriesBefore the End: Searching for Jim Morrison. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. Read the original article onPeople
