Missing University of Alabama student found dead in Barcelona, Spain
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The body of missing University of Alabama student James “Jimmy” Gracey was found Thursday in Barcelona, Spain, after a days-long search, authorities confirmed.
Police found the body at Port Olimpic, a marina just steps away from the waterfront nightclub where Gracey was last seen.
A spokesman for Mossos d’Esquadra said the remains found in Port Olimpic were identified as those of the 20-year-old teenager, who was last seen at the waterfront Shoko nightclub in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Gracey, of Elmhurst, Illinois, disappeared around 3 a.m. after visiting the Shoko restaurant and nightclub.
CAUSE OF DEATH OF A WISCONSIN GRADUATE SCHOOL STUDENT WHO WAS LOST WHILE WALKING HOME FROM THE BAR WAS REVEALED IN THE AUTOPSY.
Missing person poster featuring Jimmy Gracey. The 20-year-old was found dead after disappearing in Spain. (Fox News Digital’s James Breeden)
“He was with friends, but they left at the end of the night,” said his mother, Therese Gracey. Gracey never made it back to the Airbnb she rented with her friends, her family said.
It was seen that the divers entered the water with a stretcher at around 19.05 local time and returned to the pier 10 minutes later with a body bag.
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A Catalan police diver from Mossos d’Esquadra searches the coastline and Port Olimpic marina in Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday, March 19, 2026. (Fox News Digital’s James Breeden)
The discovery came after a search involving helicopters, boats, dive teams and motorcycle units led authorities to conduct multiple investigations, including the possibility that Gracey may have drowned.
Divers said visibility in the water was extremely limited, sometimes only about 40 centimeters, or roughly 16 inches.
This split image shows three recent portraits of Jimmy Gracey, the University of Alabama student who died during a spring break trip to Barcelona, Spain. (Gracey family)
Police also seized Gracey’s phone during another man’s arrest and were reviewing location data as part of the investigation, according to a family spokesman.
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Jimmy Gracey was found dead in Spain after a days-long search. (Fox News Digital’s James Breeden)
“Our family is heartbroken when we confirm Jimmy’s body has been found in Barcelona,” the Gracey family said. “Jimmy was a beloved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin and friend, and our family struggles to come to terms with this unimaginable loss.”
Authorities have not yet released information about Jimmy Gracey’s cause of death.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
