Spanish police searching for University of Alabama student James “Jimmy” Gracey claim they have recovered a body but noted that it still needs to be identified.
The body was discovered in the Somorrostro section of Barcelona, where Gracey vanished on the morning of Tuesday, March 17, after a night out with friends he was visiting.
The body was found not far from the beachside club where Gracey, 20, was filmed by surveillance cameras leaving with an unknown individual.
Gracey was last seen on March 17 at around 3 a.m. outside the popular Shôko nightclub in the Port Olímpic area.
American EDM artist Daniel Allan was headlining a gig at the club Monday, March 16.
Gracey, who is known as Jimmy to friends and family, was dressed in a white T-shirt, dark pants, and a gold chain with a rhinestone-encrusted cross.
Gracey, who reportedly stayed behind at the club when his friends decided to call it a night, stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 175 pounds, the family has said.
He never made it back to his Airbnb, according to his mother, Therese Marren Gracey, who previously shared a Facebook post about her missing son.
“My son is a university of Alabama student who is visiting friends in Barcelona who are studying abroad,” reads the missing man’s mother’s post, which was shared to a Students in Barcelona 2026 Facebook group. “They went to Shoko last night. … But he didn’t make it back to the air bnb. Has anyone seen him?”
It was unclear when Gracey first arrived in Barcelona, but relatives said he was due to return to the states on Saturday, March 21.
Gracey’s father had flown to Spain on Wednesday, March 18, to assist police in any way he could.
There have been questions surrounding Gracey’s phone, after Therese initially announced that police had found it while investigators said they couldn’t confirm either way if they had the device in their possession.
A University of Alabama spokesperson told NBC Chicago staffers are aware of the situation and are in contact with Gracey’s family.
Gracey announced in the fall that he had been elected to serve as the chaplain of the Alpha Phi Chapter of the Theta Chi fraternity.
Gracey was the nephew of CNN senior producer David Gracey, according to CNN and statements his family have made.
Beth O’Reilly, Jimmy’s aunt, appeared on NewsNation’s Jesse Weber Live on Wednesday night and said the hockey player was seen on security footage leaving the club with an unidentified person.
The New York Post reports that Shoko was named the seventh-best club in the world and best nightclub in Barcelona for 2025, an honor bestowed by Nightlife International. The club offers award-winning cuisine served on the Barcelona seafront, with the establishment “redefining nightlife with exclusive experiences” in the city.
