The tragic final moments of University of Alabama student James ‘Jimmy’ Gracey before he died in Barcelona were witnessed by a Spaniard who helped lead police to his body.
Gracey, 20, was last seen leaving the Shôko beachfront nightclub on Tuesday at 3am. A witness told Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan regional police force, that he had seen Gracey walking towards a rocky outcrop that juts out from the beach.
‘From there he may have fallen into the sea and drowned,’ they said.
On Thursday, his body was pulled from the Mediterranean Sea, confirming his family’s worst fears. Much remains unknown about how he died.
Investigators have not ruled out that he could have been drugged. Gracey is believed to have walked toward the water on his own and fallen in while under the influence of drugs, alcohol or both, a report claimed Friday.
Police have also been reviewing surveillance footage that sources say shows him leaving the club with an unidentified person.
Gracey’s wallet was found with cash, credit cards and ID inside floating in the water off Somorrostro Beach shortly before his body was discovered.
Police boats and divers later scoured the area along with a helicopter and drones, before making the grim discovery and bringing his body to shore.
Exactly what happened to Gracey after he was separated from his friends at the club is still unknown and investigators are still piecing together his movements.
James ‘Jimmy’ Gracey, 20, a junior at the University of Alabama, disappeared while holidaying for spring break, visiting friends studying abroad in Barcelona. His body was recovered from the Mediterranean on Thursday
Police believe when he left a nightclub after drinking he walked towards some rocks (circled) that stuck out of the nearby beach
Hopes were raised when police arrested a man who was found to have stolen Gracey’s phone, but police now suspect that the individual, who had a history of thefts, did not have any contact with the student, a source told Fox News Digital.
The man is believed to have found the phone on the street before pocketing it.
Recalling what happened on that fateful night, Gracey’s Theta Chi fraternity brother, Cavin McLay, said his friend had wanted to stay longer at Shôko and became separated from the group, lost in the chaos of the crowded dance floor.
Mossos d’Esquadra, Catalonia’s police force, later said it could not rule out foul play after discovering Gracey left the nightclub with a stranger.
Security camera footage reviewed by police showed him leaving Shôko with another person, but investigators have not yet identified them.
Gracey was seen talking to a young, brown-haired American woman at the nightclub, but it was unclear if she was the same person he had left with.
A witness also told police they saw a young man walking towards the sea on the beach adjacent to the nightclub.
Police searched the Airbnb where Gracey was staying and interviewed the friends he was sharing the holiday rental with and others he was with that night.
The rock wall goes out into the ocean away from the beach where a witness saw Gracey walking towards the sea
Two piers with rocks along the side of them and another rocky outcrop also jut out from the beach, but are much further away from the nightclub
Police boats and divers later searched the area along with a helicopter and drones on Thursday
Therese said police found her son’s phone when they arrested someone, but cops had shared very few details with the family.
‘What we’ve put together is that his phone was stolen and the police just happened to pick the guy who stole it up,’ she wrote online.
She claimed that law enforcement had discovered Gracey’s phone ‘when they searched the guy.’
Police do not believe the individual, who had a history of thefts, had any direct contact with Gracey, a source close to the Catalan police told Fox News Digital.
The man was believed to have found the phone on the street before taking it, according to the insider.
‘The police have his phone but he never made it back to his Airbnb,’ she wrote, pleading with anyone who may have seen him to contact her.
Gracey was wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants, likely joggers, as well as a gold chain with a rhinestone cross when he disappeared.
Exactly what happened to Gracey after he was separated from his friends at the club is still unknown
Gracey’s last appearance was around 3am local time at the nightclub Shôko, according to his mother
Gracey’s father, Taras, traveled to Barcelona to search for his son.
His uncle is David Gracey, a CNN senior producer in Washington, and he is the eldest of Taras and Therese’s five children.
Gracey’s family said they were ‘deeply concerned’ about his disappearance, which was out of character for the responsible young man.
‘Jimmy is a kind, responsible, and devoted son and brother. It is completely out of character for him not to check in with family and friends,’ they said in a statement.
‘We are working closely with local authorities and are incredibly grateful for the support we have received.
‘We ask that you keep Jimmy in your thoughts as we continue to do everything we can to bring him home safely.’
Shôko is a bustling beachfront nightclub along Barcelona’s La Barceloneta seaside neighborhood, known for its Mediterranean views and popular among locals and visitors.
It has been ranked the seventh best nightclub in the world by Nightlife International.
Gracey was staying at an Airbnb on Ronda de Sant Pere, one of the city’s main roads.
Gracey was elected onto the Theta Chi fraternity’s University of Alabama executive board as a chaplain in October
Gracey’s friends rallied to help find him, handing out flyers on the beach and asking people if they had seen him
The distance from Shôko to his tourist apartment is roughly 3km (1.8 miles).
‘We are conducting the initial checks and have taken a report in an open investigation,’ police said.
‘A call was received early yesterday morning, around 1am, reporting a possible disappearance.
‘The disappearance was reported to have occurred on March 17, 2026, at 3am, in the Port Olympic area.’
Shôko said it did not have any additional information about Gracey’s whereabouts.
Gracey left Alabama last Thursday and spent the weekend in Amsterdam before arriving Monday in Barcelona.
He is from the Elmhurst suburb of Chicago, Illinois, but attends the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he is part of the Theta Chi fraternity.
McLay said he learned that Gracey was missing from a friend the next morning after Gracey didn’t come back to the Airbnb.
‘My heart sank to my stomach. It’s definitely not a good text to wake up to,’ he told NBC.
‘First thoughts were, hopefully he just lost his phone and tried making his way back on his own.’
Family members said Gracey had been in Amsterdam over the weekend and got to Barcelona on Monday morning
Gracey’s disappearance is being investigated by Catalonia’s police force, known as the Mossos d’Esquadra
McLay said about ten people in the group were in Barcelona right now, visiting a few fraternity members who were studying abroad.
He said there was nothing out of the ordinary at the nightclub and no reason for any of the holidaymakers to fear for their safety.
‘It’s tough. We’re doing everything we can to keep our heads up and remain hopeful that we find him safe, but it’s a tough time. And, you know, we’re scared,’ he told WVMTM.
A post from November said Gracey had been elected onto the fraternity’s executive board as a chaplain.
Gracey wrote on LinkedIn that he was looking forward to ‘leading with integrity, promoting a values-based culture and supporting the personal and spiritual growth of the chapter’.
The student’s friends rallied to help find him, handing out flyers on the beach and asking anyone if they had seen him.
Gracey’s family said Friday that they were ‘heartbroken’ and remembered Gracey as ‘deeply loved’
Gracey’s family made a statement Friday night to WGN after his death was confirmed.
‘Our family is heartbroken as we confirm that Jimmy’s body has been recovered in Barcelona.
‘Jimmy was a deeply loved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend, and our family is struggling to come to terms with this unimaginable loss.
‘We are profoundly grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers from people around the world – so many helped to share Jimmy’s story and bring his life to light so that others may know him.’
The University of Alabama previously confirmed Gracey was a student on a personal trip and said Thursday they were ‘heartbroken to learn of the death of Jimmy Gracey.’
‘Jimmy’s loss is deeply felt across our campus,’ the university said in a statement. ‘Our condolences are with the Gracey family during this devastating time.’
