James Paul Gracey Found Dead in Barcelona; Authorities Say Foul Play Unlikely

On March 20, 2026, Spanish authorities confirmed that James Paul Gracey, a 20-year-old American student, was found dead off Somorrostro Beach in Barcelona. Catalan police said the body was recovered Thursday evening and that, as of the same day, investigators do not believe foul play was involved.

Police reports show Gracey was last seen early Tuesday at Shoko, a beachfront club in the Port Olímpic/Villa Olímpica area, where members of his group separated. Local officers received a missing-person alert for an individual last seen around 3 a.m. Tuesday; his body was located approximately 300 feet offshore at about 6 p.m. on Thursday. Authorities have scheduled an autopsy in Barcelona and have not yet released details on the timing of the body’s release to next of kin.

Gracey was a junior studying accounting at the University of Alabama and had been visiting friends who are studying abroad. He was from Elmhurst, a suburb of Chicago, and graduated from Saint Ignatius College Prep in 2023, where he participated in lacrosse and hockey and was a member of academic honor societies. Fraternity members said the group did not recall any incidents causing concern before he disappeared. The family released a statement expressing heartbreak, thanked local authorities and the U.S. Consulate for their assistance, and asked for privacy while they await further information.