French authorities have solved a decades-old mystery by finding a statue of the Doors' lead singer Jim Morrison, which had been missing since 1988.

The bust, created by Croatian artist Mladen Mikulin in 1981 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Morrison's death, was discovered during an unrelated search by French public prosecutors, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Morrison, who died at the age of 27 in 1971 in his Paris apartment, was buried at Père Lachaise cemetery, where the statue was originally placed.

The statue's recovery comes as a significant find, especially considering the cemetery's history of vandalism and security issues. In 1991, a riot broke out at the gravesite on the 20th anniversary of Morrison's death, prompting Père Lachaise to increase security measures, according to the BBC.

Morrison's grave is one of the most visited musician graves in the world, largely due to the rock 'n' roll mythology surrounding his death. His grave is located in the "Poet's Corner" area of the cemetery, where notable artists such as Édith Piaf, Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, and Gertrude Stein are buried.

The Doors' lead singer and songwriter was found dead in the bathtub of his Paris apartment at the age of 27. While family members and friends later spoke out about 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, according to the Guardian.

French authorities ruled that Morrison died from natural causes, with an official report listing a heart attack "possibly aggravated by excessive drinking," and no signs of foul play, according to the New York Times.

In related news, Salt-N-Pepa sues Universal Music Group for refusing to return rights to their music, and Tommy Lee and Brittany Furlan's marriage is on the rocks amid catfishing scandal.

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