Found Deceased Spain - James “Jimmy” Gracey - UA Student from Chicago - Barcelona - 17 March 2026

[Sundog]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2034336122814202238

Gracey’s father, Taras, has already traveled to Spain, according to All Alabama. Therese will likely join him soon.

I hope that someone close to them is helping them to raise the money they will need to investigate the disappearance of their son.

 

[Hanoi2009]

I wanted to separate what I’ve been told into what seems definite and what is more speculative. All of these are my musings now. As I posted earlier, the story about him “being jumped” and/or “being jumped on the beach” seems to persist here locally in Illinois. Knowing now that the police called the father, I wonder why they called Jimmy’s emergency contact. Bc they had a lost phone in their possession? Seems unlikely. Bc the girl he was with came to them and told them she saw him being attacked? Bc the person they got the phone from is super sketchy? The motive evades me. That said, I have to imagine that the Barcelona/Catalan police are pretty familiar with the local regulars who frequent these tourist destinations, waiting for inebriated foreigners to become easy targets for pickpocketing. I’m sure the same thieves keep criming, and the police know them by sight. Maybe they saw one of these frequent grifters and shook them down, found the phone on them. Maybe that person knew something- maybe nothing. I want to know what they saw on the CCTV footage. Being such a popular area, it has to have tons of surveillance- and I want to know if what they saw is why there may be search vessels in the water. All completely JMVHO

 

[LookingForClues]

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/18/us/jimmy-gracey-missing-alabama-student-barcelona

Jimmy's uncle is a senior producer at CNN, working in Washington, D.C.

I also heard that Jimmy's father is now on the ground in Spain. Praying for him and his entire family as they try to find their son, brother, nephew. Hope the State Department is helping them as much as they can.

I was about to post this same story. I know Jimmy is missing in another country, but I'm sure his uncle and uncle's colleagues have contacts in Barcelona they can touch base with. This will be very helpful for the family.

(MOO as a former newspaper and magazine editor/reporter.)

 

[Sundog]

I don't know if I'm allowed to post this or not, but I'll assume the mods will tell me, if not. New update from the local friend group: allegedly he met an American girl at the bar who was not from their friend group, and they were hitting it off. He left with the girl to walk on the beach. It is getting back here from some of the kids there that he was supposedly jumped. My friend said that the chain he wears is a thick gold chain with a beautiful diamond cross. You can see it in pics that have been posted. People are theorizing here that maybe he was targeted as part of a robbery. This is all clearly speculation based on reports from the kids there. JMOOOOOO

We now know that it wasn't a diamond cross that he wore, it was a rhinestone cross. But perhaps on a gold chain. In any event, that may not make a difference in terms of a possible robbery or other reason for his disappearance.

 

[Deepinthought52]

FWIW, my kids said that they felt like the club goers (it was even the same night of the week, just one week earlier) were primarily foreigners (not locals). However, my general assumption is that it was a local who stole my kiddo's wallet. We also talked to another American (Indiana) who was blatantly pickpocketed on the street.

We were only there for a few days before moving on to another country, but there were soooo many kids abroad. I thought they had indicated Shoko closed at 3, so definitely curious to hear that it is open until 6.

ETA - I'm distraught, sorry for the stream of consciousness.

I’m glad you and your kiddos are safe…I hate that kids have to learn sometimes fatal lessons of why adults advise what they advise without the chance to try again. It doesn’t always feel dangerous until it’s too late. Looks like he was in a frat. I hope other kids will learn from this here or abroad. Sadly there always seems to be a scapegoat or few each year

 

[Sundog]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2034365095959298123

Jimmy is the Chaplain of his fraternity.

"Jimmy is a beloved brother and a man of upstanding character. He serves as a mentor to younger classes in our chapter and guides our brothers on their journey with their Faith as our Chaplain. He also serves as one of our Philanthropy Chairmen and devotes his time to giving back to others. He’s the guy that goes out of his way to be there when someone needs it. "We’re working closely and appreciate the support from Senator Britts office, the State Department, the US Embassy here in Barcelona, the UA administration and student body, Theta Chi IHQ, local authorities, and everyone else involved."

 

[nao]

Moo....tourists, no matter what country you are in, are always seen as prey. If they find the girl he went with, maybe some information will be forth coming. Just because the female was American does not mean she is not a local resident. The most common way to get a target alone is just get a female to take target for a walk. Also he is American and Americans should be a lot more wary of quick friendship offerings while in Europe or many countries actually...moo

 

[Sundog]

Moo....tourists, no matter what country you are in, are always seen as prey. If they find the girl he went with, maybe some information will be forth coming. Just because the female was American does not mean she is not a local resident. The most common way to get a target alone is just get a female to take target for a walk. Also he is American and Americans should be a lot more wary of quick friendship offerings while in Europe or many countries actually...moo

If they have video, then I think they have located (or will be able to locate) the American female he was with. She may be a local or she may be an American university student on study abroad.

I hope she is safe and when found is able to shed light on Jimmy's disappearance.

ETA In addition, if some of the others saw Jimmy with the American girl, they can provide a description of her as well.

 

[Seni]

Not sure whether to add this, because I can't link it. My boys aged 24 and 22 live relatively close to the marina. They are clubbers sometimes but would avoid the beach and the notorious Ramblas. They have never been to this nightclub as it is expensive and they are students. It has VIP areas which are very costly. So, yes could be a place for pickpocketers or thieves to target, especially at 3 in the morning. They have not spotted any search lights since it got dark hours ago.

 

[Hanoi2009]

If they have video, then I think they have located (or will be able to locate) the American female he was with. She may be a local or she may be an American university student on study abroad.

I hope she is safe and when found is able to shed light on Jimmy's disappearance.

ETA In addition, if some of the others saw Jimmy with the American girl, they can provide a description of her as well.

I would think- and hope- that this story is spreading amongst the American kids there…if the police haven’t already talked to her, hopefully she’ll hear about it and go in to tell them what she knows.

 

[MassGuy]

Moo....tourists, no matter what country you are in, are always seen as prey. If they find the girl he went with, maybe some information will be forth coming. Just because the female was American does not mean she is not a local resident. The most common way to get a target alone is just get a female to take target for a walk. Also he is American and Americans should be a lot more wary of quick friendship offerings while in Europe or many countries actually...moo

Sure. But robbery and murder are two very different things.

 

[Hanoi2009]

This article from Chicago’s CBS outlet has his mother saying that the police have his phone.
CBS News

 

[Seni]

This article from Chicago’s CBS outlet has his mother saying that the police have his phone.
CBS News

Yes, but unconfirmed by police.

Remember also from previous cases that Spanish police are reticent to release info and only do so when they think it might identify the perp

 

[Seni]

Am thinking of previous case of Colombian lady Ana separating from husband in Florida. She fled to Spain. Police released video of someone at her door and spraying paint on the camera. Anyone remember? Husband has since been arrested.

But also some reticence on the part of the police as regards release of info

 

[Lebowski]

i don't see how someone could be sure the girl he was with was american without either knowing her or getting a good enough look at her to recognize her on camera footage.

so, if the claim that he was with an american girl is based on anything legit, then fairly quickly they should be able either identify her, track her down, or at least post "do you know this girl?" footage of her.

 

[CHEL]

Am thinking of previous case of Colombian lady Ana separating from husband in Florida. She fled to Spain. Police released video of someone at her door and spraying paint on the camera. Anyone remember? Husband has since been arrested.

But also some reticence on the part of the police as regards release of info

Ana Walshe

 

[Hanoi2009]

Yes, but unconfirmed by police.

Remember also from previous cases that Spanish police are reticent to release info and only do so when they think it might identify the perp

According to my local source, the police are the ones who called the father on Jimmy’s phone to kick off this whole investigation, so I’m assuming they have it and just aren’t saying, which is, of course, their prerogative. Also, my source said that Spain’s strict privacy laws prohibited the release of some CCTV footage under a legal timeline at rhe beginning of all of this. I just googled it, and the public/private camera situation is interesting, and I think it could very much hinder the investigation. It does not sound at all as if the video trail we might have in the States will be possible or as robust. JMO

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The El Periódico newspaper in Spain reports that police believe James Gracey did not leave the club alone. The newspaper reported sources said this did not seem like a "normal" case.

"Jimmy is a kind, responsible, and devoted son and brother," the Gracey family wrote in a formal statement. "It is completely out of character for him not to check in with family and friends."

Local newspapers also report police in Barcelona are looking into security video and have launched helicopters and marine units to search for him in the area of the Olympic village

Family of Illinois college student James Gracey says disappearance in Barcelona is "completely out of character"

The family of a University of Alabama student from Elmhurst, Illinois, who has been reported missing in Barcelona during a trip to Spain said his disappearance is "completely out of character."

www.cbsnews.com

Cavin McLay, who also travelled to Barcelona for spring break, called Gracey one of his best friends, saying the two met freshman year and rushed Alabama's chapter of the Theta Chi fraternity together.

"He's a great person, he's a great guy, a man of upstanding character. He's one of those people that's there for anyone when they ever need it," said McLay.

According to McLay, Gracey served as chaplain of Theta Chi's executive board.

"He serves as a mentor for our younger guys and guides our brothers on their journey with their faith," said McLay. "And he also serves as one of our philanthropy chairmen and devotes his time to giving back to others."

WVTM 13

Cavin McLay, fraternity brother of James "Jimmy" Gracey, speaks out, sharing information about the missing University of Alabama student and search efforts.

www.facebook.com

 

[Hanoi2009]

i don't see how someone could be sure the girl he was with was american without either knowing her or getting a good enough look at her to recognize her on camera footage.

so, if the claim that he was with an american girl is based on anything legit, then fairly quickly they should be able either identify her, track her down, or at least post "do you know this girl?" footage of her.

I’m probably the one who said it because it was from a report that came to us in the community from his friends who are still there. That’s all I *know* based upon what we were told by the kids who are still in Spain. My *guess* is that he met her at the club while with his friends, so they were chatting- maybe some of his friends spoke to her, he told his friends she was American…I don’t know. I was told that the friends were unconcerned about his whereabouts and did not expect him home anytime soon (due to the implied hookup/overnight stay with this girl). JMOO

 

[otto]

Google streetview of Shoko on the beach.

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.

www.google.com

Approximate Airbnb location to Shoko nightclub: