A University of Alabama student has been found dead on a Barcelona beach after disappearing from a nightclub earlier this week. James Paul Gracey, 20, went missing in the early hours of Tuesday after visiting the Shoko nightclub in the Port Olímpic area.
His body was discovered by a dive team near Somorrostro Beach around 6pm local time on Thursday, Catalan police confirmed. Authorities have ruled out foul play, leaving friends and family to grieve the loss of the junior accounting major.
What Really Happened At Shoko Club
James Paul Gracey had travelled to Barcelona for a personal trip with friends who were studying abroad. The group had gathered at Shoko, a well known beachfront nightclub located in the Vila Olimpica district, one of the city's busiest nightlife areas.
According to Cavin McLay, president of the University of Alabama's Theta Chi fraternity, Gracey was part of a group of about ten students visiting Barcelona together. At some point during the evening, the group became separated.
McLay explained that the students had briefly split up inside the crowded venue.
'We were with Jimmy earlier in the night and then the group got separated,' McLay said. 'That was the last time they saw him.'
Gracey was reportedly wearing a white shirt, dark trousers, and a gold rhinestone cross necklace when he left the club. CCTV footage reportedly captured him leaving the nightclub area during the early morning hours near Port Olimpic, a popular waterfront destination filled with bars and restaurants.
Police later received a call about a possible missing person around 3am on Tuesday.
Family Raises Alarm After Phone Is Found
Concern for Gracey's safety intensified when his family received troubling news about his mobile phone. His aunt, Beth Marren O'Reilly, said the family became alarmed after learning that someone else had picked up the device.
The discovery raised questions about what may have happened after Gracey left the nightclub.
Spanish authorities began working with the family and launched a search operation across the Port Olimpic and Barceloneta areas. Officers reviewed surveillance footage, contacted nearby businesses, and checked hospitals while trying to piece together his movements.
Gracey's father travelled to Barcelona to assist in the search and work closely with Catalan police. Friends also joined efforts on the ground, retracing routes between the nightclub, nearby beaches, and the Airbnb where the group had been staying.
Despite the growing search, there were few confirmed sightings after he disappeared from the nightlife district.
Body Discovered Near Port Olimpic Beach
The search ended in tragedy on Thursday evening when a dive team located Gracey's body in waters near Somorrostro Beach, close to the Port Olimpic area where he had last been seen.
Catalan police confirmed the discovery around 6pm local time. Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia later reported that investigators had ruled out foul play following the recovery.
Authorities notified Gracey's father soon after the body was identified.
While details about the circumstances of his death remain limited, investigators have indicated that there were no immediate signs suggesting criminal involvement.
The discovery brought an end to the intense search that had drawn attention on both sides of the Atlantic.
The news has left Gracey's family and community devastated. In a statement, his relatives described him as a deeply loved member of the family.
'Jimmy was a deeply loved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin and friend,' the Gracey family said. 'Our family is struggling to come to terms with this unimaginable loss.'
The University of Alabama also released a statement expressing sorrow over the death of the student.
