University of Alabama student James ‘Jimmy’ Gracey found dead in Barcelona

The body of missing University of Alabama student James “Jimmy” Gracey was recovered Thursday at Port Olimpic in Barcelona, Mossos d’Esquadra authorities said.

Mossos d’Esquadra said the remains were identified as those of the 20-year-old junior who was last seen early Tuesday at the Shoko waterfront restaurant and nightclub. The marina is a short distance from the nightclub, the police said.

Gracey, of Elmhurst, Illinois, disappeared around 3 a.m. after visiting Shoko, his mother, Therese Gracey, said. “He was with friends, but they got separated at the end of the night,” she said. The family said he never returned to the Airbnb he had rented with friends.

Divers entered the water at about 7:05 p.m. local time and returned to the dock about 10 minutes later with a body bag, authorities said. The search involved helicopters, boats, dive teams and motorcycle units, and investigators pursued several lines of inquiry, including the possibility that Gracey drowned. Divers said visibility in the water was sometimes limited to about 40 centimeters.

A family spokesperson said police recovered Gracey’s phone during the arrest of another individual and are reviewing location data as part of the investigation. Authorities have not released a cause of death, the police said. “Our family is heartbroken as we confirm that Jimmy’s body has been recovered in Barcelona,” the Gracey family said. “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.”

Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this reporting.

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