On Thursday, the authorities in Barcelona, Spain confirmed the tragic news of 20-year-old James “Jimmy” Gracey, a University of Alabama student, being found deceased.
According to the Catalan police, “This afternoon we have located a body without life in the Somorrostro area of Barcelona and we are making arrangements to identify it.” The body was later confirmed as belonging to Gracey after matching the provided description.
Search teams recovered the body in waters near Port Olímpic, close to the beaches of Barcelona, as reported by La Vanguardia. Reports indicate that Gracey’s father has been notified, and authorities have ruled out any foul play.
The family expressed their gratitude in a statement: “We are so grateful for the kindness and concern that has been shown for our family during this incredibly difficult time. We have made the decision to pause media interviews at this time to focus on being together and caring for one another. Thank you for respecting our privacy and holding our family in your thoughts and prayers. We will share updates if and when we’re able.”
JUST IN: A body has been found in the water in the Somorrostro beach area, not far from the nightclub where James “Jimmy” Gracey, a University of Alabama student, went missing, police have confirmed. https://t.co/rMiVnN8Yr6 pic.twitter.com/U1q2ktkwk5
— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) March 19, 2026
Gracey was a junior from Elmhurst, Illinois, studying at the University of Alabama. He traveled to Barcelona on March 17 to visit friends studying abroad during spring break.
The last sighting of him was around 3 a.m. on March 17 outside Shôko nightclub, a popular beachfront venue. His friends had left, but he did not return to their rental.
After he failed to check in, he was reported missing. His mother, Therese, mentioned in a Facebook post that his friend last saw him at Shôko, and she confirmed that his cellphone had been stolen.
Later, Gracey’s wallet was found floating in the nearby water, and just hours after, his body was located in the same vicinity.
An active member of the Theta Chi fraternity at the University of Alabama, Gracey served as chaplain and philanthropy chairman. One of his fraternity brothers, Cavin McLay, described him as a great person of upstanding character who was always there to help others during the ongoing search.
