James Paul Gracey missing after night at Barcelona beachfront club — family seeks leads

James Paul Gracey missing after a night out in Barcelona, his family said on March 19, 2026, as relatives and university officials press Spanish authorities for information. The 20-year-old University of Alabama student vanished early Tuesday after attending a beachfront club in the Port Olímpic area.

Family members identified the venue as Shoko, a nightclub in the Villa Olímpica sector, and said Gracey was last seen wearing a white shirt, dark pants and a chain with a gold rhinestone cross. Barcelona police confirmed they received a call about a possible disappearance around 3 a.m. in the Port Olímpic neighborhood and have opened an investigation, conducting initial checks and taking a formal report. Relatives said Gracey’s parents were alerted after learning his phone had been picked up, and his roommates had not been able to contact him.

Classmates and fraternity peers described a group outing where partygoers became separated, and about 10 students are reported to be in Barcelona visiting friends studying abroad. The University of Alabama has said staff are in touch with the family and offering support. Gracey, a junior accounting major from Elmhurst, Illinois, remains unlocated as authorities and relatives urge anyone with information to come forward to assist the ongoing inquiry.