Forensic expert disputes Spain’s statements on Jimmy Gracey’s death

A forensic scientist with decades of experience in the profession is skeptical of the Spanish government’s explanation for the death of American college student James “Jimmy” Gracey.

“So you have a young man leaving the bar at midnight, or certainly after midnight,” said Joseph Scott Morgan, associate professor of applied forensic medicine. Jacksonville State University, he told Fox News Digital.

“Initially it was claimed that she was seen leaving with someone and now we are not very clear on that. Let’s say it’s adjacent to a slippery area where rocks are jutting into the water. Did he fall off the rocks? Well, I guess that’s perfectly reasonable.”

Gracey, a 20-year-old student at the University of Alabama, disappeared in the early morning hours of March 17 after having fun with friends at a popular tourist bar in Barcelona. His body was found two days later near a nearby pier.

Spanish authorities told the press that Gracey’s death was accidental and that he had gone into the water while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They said his wallet was seized intact, containing cash, credit cards and identification information.

The existence of the chain necklace Gracey wore is unknown.

JAMES GRACEY, A UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA STUDENT, GOT LOST IN BARCELONA AFTER VISITING FRIENDS WHO WERE STUDYING ABROAD.

Authorities later said they recovered Gracey’s phone from a suspect in a crime unrelated to Gracey.

“The Spanish government, or at least its newspaper, actually says that he sustained multiple injuries over the course of several hours, and they describe those injuries as bruises, and scientifically that’s implausible,” Morgan said. “You may be insulted [by] Postmortem, you bounce off rocks or die, and you have little scrapes on your body, little injuries, what we call artifacts, so to speak, from those sharp rocks, but you won’t get bruises. That’s a problem for me.”

Jimmy Gracey is seen wearing a Crimson Tide football jersey in an undated photo. The University of Alabama student was reported missing on March 17 during a trip to Barcelona. (Gracey family)

Morgan argues that any statements made by authorities were made too soon, especially in terms of toxicology.

POLICE INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF ALABAMA STUDENT JIMMY GRACEY ARE NOT ASKING FOR ANY FEE WHILE WAITING FOR TOXICOLOGY AND AUTOPSY.

“The government, I think through the newspaper, are making statements about their conclusions about his death and they’re missing a big piece of the puzzle here because everyone wants to know, was there anything spiked in his drink?” Morgan asked. “Has something been administered to him? Let’s say like a date rape drug, something that would remove inhibitions and make him definitely more controllable.”“

The professor, who began his career at the Jefferson Parish Medical Examiner’s Office in New Orleans in 1985 and later became a senior investigator for the Fulton County Medical Examiner in Atlanta, thinks a private autopsy should be performed on the Gracey family, but he’s not sure if that’s still possible.

Mourners attend a memorial service for Jimmy Gracey at the Theta Chi fraternity at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. Gracey died last week while on spring break in Barcelona, ​​Spain. (Dana Mixer for Fox News Digital)

““In my opinion, the family would be better served…by having their own examination of Jimmy’s remains in the hands of a board-certified forensic pathologist, who they must contract to do so,” he said.

THE MYSTERY DEEPENS AS NANCY GRACE INVESTIGATES THE ‘ACCIDENTAL’ DEATH OF ALABAMA STUDENT IN BARCELONA

However, as confirmed by Fox News Digital, Harles Valles, Communications Officer for the Catalan state police Mossos d’Esquadra, said Gracey’s body was returned to the United States on Tuesday.

“Now, the real problem is this; His body must have been prepared before he left Spain and came here, okay? “We still don’t know what organ samples they might use,” Morgan said. “The biggest part of this is the lack of toxicology that can be done here. Toxicology samples taken in Spain will be very important.”

Ultimately, Morgan worries that Spanish authorities might conclude an accidental death, given that Barcelona is a major tourist destination. He said he sees such cases a lot.

A memorial service was held for Jimmy Gracey on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the Theta Chi fraternity at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Gracey died last week while on spring break in Barcelona, ​​Spain. (Dana Mixer for Fox News Digital)

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“Barcelona is a holiday destination,” he said. “There are millions of people there at the moment, and a significant portion of that population is on holiday there at the moment. I have friends in Great Britain who love going to Spain, they love going to Barcelona. And yes, it’s their lifeblood.”

“So yeah, I can see you don’t want to throw the client off, and the fact that they’re trying to neutralize you so early makes me raise an eyebrow, I have to tell you that.”