BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Police have concluded that the death of a 20-year-old University of Alabama student on holiday in Spain was an accident, citing footage showing him falling into the ocean the night he went missing.
According to the newspaper El País, security camera footage from the early morning hours Tuesday showed James Paul Gracey walking alone towards the dock area at Port Olimpic in Barcelona before falling into the water.
Gracey, a junior studying accounting at the University of Alabama, had gone to the Shôko nightclub, located off the water at Port Olimpic, on Monday night. He was last seen leaving the club with someone at approximately 3 a.m. Tuesday. His family declared him missing when he failed to return to the rental he was staying in.
By Thursday, the crews began searching for Gracey in the water along Somorrostro beach, near Port Olimpic. Initially finding his wallet floating in the water, police subsequently found Gracey in about 13 feet of water.
Police officers carry the body of a person found in the waters off the Port of Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Alfonso Beato)
In a statement to the Associated Press, a local police spokesperson said “all signs point” to Gracey’s death being accidental.
In the El País report, police also disclosed how they were able to get a hold of Gracey’s phone, a controversial point that led many online sleuths to believe that there may have been foul play involved. The Barcelona City Police had picked up a pickpocket in the area who claimed to have found a phone. Police later found out it belonged to Gracey, but aren’t sure if it was stolen or lost before the student fell into the water.
Originally from Elmhurst, Illinois, a suburb outside Chicago, Gracey was set to fly back home Saturday. He was set to graduate from the University of Alabama next year.
“The University of Alabama community is heartbroken to learn of the death of Jimmy Gracey,” UA officials said in a statement Thursday. “Jimmy’s loss is deeply felt across our campus. Our condolences are with the Gracey family during this devastating time.”
Gracey’s family has released the following statement:
“Our family is heartbroken as we confirm that Jimmy’s body has been recovered in Barcelona.
“Jimmy was a deeply loved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend, and our family is struggling to come to terms with this unimaginable loss.
“We are profoundly grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers from people around the world – so many helped to share Jimmy’s story and bring his life to light so that others may know him.
“We also sincerely appreciate the continued support and coordination of the local authorities and the U.S. Consulate as we work to better understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy.
“As we navigate this painful time, we kindly ask for privacy so that we may grieve together and begin to process his loss as a family.”
An autopsy is set to take place Friday at the Institute of Legal Medicine in Catalonia to determine how Gracey died.
