Body of Missing Alabama Student Jimmy Gracey Found in Barcelona

UPDATE: 3/19/2026 4:03 PM EST

The search for University of Alabama student James "Jimmy" Gracey has ended in tragedy. Catalan police divers recovered the 20-year-old's body from the water near Barcelona's Port Olímpic on Thursday, two days after he was last seen leaving a beachfront nightclub in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

How He Was Found

Police divers pulled Gracey's body from approximately four meters of water along the breakwater in front of Port Olímpic at around 6 p.m. local time. He was formally identified later that day and his family was notified.

Gracey is believed to have drowned, though an official cause of death will require an autopsy to confirm.

Investigators had found his wallet floating in the water during Wednesday's search, which also deployed police boats, a helicopter, and drones along Somorrostro Beach. When no further trace was found, the search grid was expanded to Barceloneta Beach on Thursday in case currents had carried his body southward.

What Police Believe Happened

A source at Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan regional police force, told the Daily Mail that investigators believe Gracey walked toward a rocky breakwater near the beach adjacent to Shoko nightclub after leaving the venue and may have fallen into the sea.

A witness told police they saw a young man walking toward the water and then onto the breakwater after leaving the club. Gracey had been drinking that evening, according to investigators.

Foul play had not been ruled out earlier in the investigation after security footage showed Gracey leaving Shoko with an unidentified individual. That person has not yet been publicly identified.

Family Responds

Gracey's family declined to comment on the discovery of his body, saying they wanted to focus on being together. "We are so grateful for the kindness and concern that has been shown for our family during this incredibly difficult time," the family said in a statement.

University of Alabama College Student Goes Missing in Barcelona

The family of James “Jimmy” Gracey is searching for answers after the University of Alabama junior disappeared while visiting friends in Barcelona. Gracey was last seen at about 3 am local time on Tuesday outside of Barcelona’s Shoko club near Port Olímpic. His mother, Therese Gracey, posted on Facebook that her son was reported missing after he did not return in the morning to his short-term rental. Therese Gracey said that her son was last seen wearing dark pants, a white shirt, and a chain with a gold rhinestone cross. Jimmy Gracey is 6-foot-1 and weighs approximately 175 pounds.

According to Therese Gracey, local police authorities have found her son's phone. The phone was recovered after it was stolen. The Catalan police force, Mossos d’Esquadra, confirmed that it is investigating the case; however, it did not provide further details.

A statement from the Gracey family described Jimmy as a "kind, responsible, and devoted son and brother." The statement went on to say that it was out of character for Jimmy to fail to check in with his family and friends.

While the U.S. State Department has been informed of the missing persons case, the agency did not provide details due to privacy concerns.

Gracey's aunt, Beth Marren O'Reilly, told CBS News that her nephew was out at the club with a large group of kids. The family believes that he was at the club near Barcelona Beach until about 3 or 4 in the morning. Although that seems late by U.S. standards, European clubs are more likely to stay open later.

Shoko Nightclub told the media that they have provided local law enforcement officials with the security video from the night that Gracey went missing. El Periódico newspaper in Spain is reporting that police do not believe that Gracey was alone when he left the club. The newspaper article said that law enforcement authorities indicated that this did not appear to be a "normal" case. The local media is also reporting that police have launched helicopters and marine units in and around the Olympic village to search for Gracey.

About Jimmy Gracey

Gracey is from the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, Illinois. He graduated from Saint Ignatius College Prep on Chicago's Near West Side before moving to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for college. Gracey traveled to Barcelona to visit friends who are studying abroad in Spain. Although the trip was personal in nature, the University of Alabama confirmed that its staff has been in contact with the family to offer support and help in locating the missing young adult.

Gracey's uncle, David Gracey, said that his nephew has a flight booked to return to the U.S. on Sunday. According to a spokesperson for the family, Jimmy Gracey's father traveled to Barcelona to help search for his son. David Gracey offered more information about his nephew, saying that he was the eldest of five children who frequently helps to take care of his younger siblings.

Jimmy Gracey is an avid hockey player and a member of the Theta Chi fraternity at the University of Alabama. Theta Chi chapter president Cavin McLay said that Gracey is the fraternity's philanthropy chairman, as well as its chaplain.

It was only a year ago that another U.S. college student vanished while on spring break. Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, went missing after being seen at the beach of the Riu República Hotel in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Konanki was reported missing early on March 6, 2025, triggering a massive search on air, sea, and land. The U.S., the Dominican Republic, and Konanki's home country of India all participated in the search. Konanki remains missing to this day.

Yet another missing college student is now shedding light on the potential dangers of traveling abroad at this age. The U.S. State Department recommends notifying local police if a loved one goes missing while traveling. The State Department's Overseas Citizens Services office in Washington, D.C. should also be notified.

Anyone with information about Gracey is asked to contact 224-505-3886.

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