Known for twenty-plus years as “Tiger Lady,” a potential murder victim in New Jersey in 1991 was identified only by a distinct tiger tattoo on her left leg. However, all of that changed last November, when police issued an updated sketch and image of the tattoo through social media. Several commenters indicated that the Tiger looked remarkably similar to the “Tiger” insignia on Jerry Garcia’s guitar, one that he played from 1970 through 1995.
The initial investigation was thorough, with local tattoo parlors cooperating and distributing fliers to over 20,000 tattoo shops across the country. Then, no one mentioned the Grateful Dead connection. Thanks to social media and the internet, that all has changed.
However, the connection is tenuous at best. The tattoo was considered a “scratcher” or an amateur drawing, and, while there are resemblances between the tattoo and Garcia’s guitar, the ink is crude at best. Considering the victim was discovered with decomposition in October of 1991, and the Dead played nine nights at MSG from September 8-18, there is a possibility that the Grateful Dead connection is real.
The detective who worked the case back in 1991, August Wistner, only said, “It’s nice somebody’s still interested. Hopefully they’ll get an ID.”
Until then, here’s the all-too-appropriate “Feel Like A Stranger” from that MSG run:
[Via NJ.com]