Missing US student tourist James Gracey found dead in waters off Barcelona – National
The body of James “Jimmy” Gracey, an American college student who went missing while visiting friends during spring break in Spain, was found Thursday in the waters off the coast of Barcelona, police said.
Gracey’s body was found by police divers and positively identified, the Catalan regional police press office in Barcelona told the Associated Press.
The body of a University of Alabama student was found near where he was last seen outside a nightclub with his friends early Tuesday morning. Gracey, 20, was visiting friends in Barcelona for spring break.
Catalan police say their investigation into the cause of death is ongoing.
This undated photo shows James “Jimmy” Gracey, left, with his aunt Beth Marren O’Reilly.
Gracey Family via AP
The 20-year-old student was last seen by a friend around 03:00 local time on Tuesday outside the Shoko restaurant and nightclub in Barcelona, his mother said in a Facebook post on Tuesday before his body was found.
“My college aged son is visiting my friends who are studying abroad [sic] went to Shoko last night. The police have his phone but he never returned to his air bnb,” wrote Therese Marren Gracey on the Barcelona Expat Families Facebook group.
He did not explain how the police found his son’s cell phone.
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Gracey was reported missing after she failed to return to her Airbnb on Wednesday morning.
He was a member of Theta Chi fraternity, and the international organization said that, in addition to serving as the school’s chapter chaplain, he was the philanthropy chairman.
Cavin McLay, the group’s president, told NBC News that Gracey was with a group at the club and they parted ways, “and that was the last time I saw her.”
McLay said he was in Barcelona, but he was not with a group of friends like Gracey. He said about 10 people were in Barcelona visiting a few members studying abroad, NBC News reported.
In a statement released late Thursday, Gracey’s family asked for prayers and privacy.
“Our family is devastated as we confirm that Jimmy’s body has been found in Barcelona. Jimmy was a much loved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin and friend, and our family is struggling to cope with this unimaginable loss,” the statement said.
“We are so grateful for the outpouring of love, support and prayers from people all over the world – many have helped share Jimmy’s story and brought his life to light so others can know him.”
The Grace family said they “greatly appreciate the continued support and communication of local authorities and the US embassy as we work to better understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy.”
“As we navigate this painful time, we kindly ask for privacy so we can grieve together and begin to process this loss as a family,” they added.
The University of Alabama also released a statement on Gracey’s death, writing, “The University of Alabama community is deeply saddened to learn of Jimmy Gracey’s death. Jimmy’s loss is deeply felt throughout our institution. Our condolences go out to the Grace family at this difficult time. We ask that their privacy be respected as they grieve.”
School officials at Chicago’s Saint Ignatius College Prep, where Gracey will graduate in 2023, said, “During his four years at Saint Ignatius, Jimmy was fully involved in school life both academically and athletically.”
“He was a valuable member of both the lacrosse and hockey programs and was known for his strong personality, honesty, and the way he showed off to his teammates and friends,” the statement added.
In an interview before police confirmed his death, Gracey’s aunt told The Associated Press that he was “just a good kid, a good Catholic boy from the Midwest.”
“He’s a great student, honors program at the University of Alabama, a mentor on his team, you know, an amazing big brother and a great role model for his cousins,” Beth Marren O’Reilly said.
O’Reilly said his nephew left Alabama on Thursday and spent the weekend in Amsterdam before arriving Monday in Barcelona. Gracey’s family did not immediately know how the police found her phone. Gracey’s father, Taras, is in Barcelona and has been working with the police, O’Reilly said.
Global News has reached out to the Catalan police for more information.
– Via files from the Associated Press
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
