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Spanish investigators are looking into the tragic passing of a 20-year-old student from the University of Alabama, who went missing during a spring break getaway in Barcelona. As of now, no criminal charges are being considered while authorities wait for the final toxicology results following an initial autopsy.
James “Jimmy” Gracey was last seen enjoying a night out with friends at Barcelona’s well-known Shoko nightclub in the early hours of Tuesday.
On Thursday, his body was discovered in a marina just 500 feet from the nightclub.
The preliminary autopsy suggests that Gracey’s demise was likely accidental, with no evidence of injury before his disappearance, according to local officials.
An undated photo shows Jimmy Gracey wearing a Crimson Tide football jersey. The University of Alabama junior had been reported missing during his trip to Barcelona on March 17. (Courtesy of the Gracey family)
“Everything points to an accidental death, although we are not disclosing details regarding how the events unfolded,” a spokesperson for the Mossos d’Esquadra, the regional Catalan police, previously said.
Given the findings, authorities have chosen not to pursue charges against any individuals in connection with Gracey’s death, a spokesperson for the Catalan High Court told Fox News Digital.
However, officials added that the investigation remains ongoing until a definite report and toxicology screening is submitted to the court – a process that could take up to three weeks.
Catalan police divers from the Mossos d’Esquadra search the shoreline and Port Olimpic marina in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, March 19, 2026. Police were searching for clues as to the whereabouts of 20-year-old University of Alabama student James Gracey who was last seen early Tuesday morning at nightclub Shoko. (James Breeden for Fox News Digital)
The finalized report will determine if Gracey was poisoned or drugged before he fell into the water, though authorities have said that foul play is not believed to have played a role in the 20-year-old’s death.
Gracey’s wallet was found intact with money, credit cards and other documents, signifying he was likely not targeted, a police spokesperson previously confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Police sources have since said video showing Gracey walking alone toward the dock at Port Olimpic before falling in the water has been obtained by authorities, according to the Spanish newspaper El Pais.
“We will not comment on other reports that may have appeared in the media,” a police spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital.
The last known photo of Jimmy Gracey shows him wearing a white T-shirt and gold chain adorned with a rhinestone cross. He was last seen around 3 a.m. at the Shoko nightclub in Barcelona. (Gracey family)
Gracey, a college junior, was visiting Barcelona with friends from Alabama’s chapter of the Theta Chi fraternity.
The group visited Shoko, a nightclub along the Mediterranean Sea, on Monday, March 16, for an evening of drinks and dancing.
The last known photo of Gracey shows him posing inside the club wearing a white T-shirt and a gold chain adorned with a rhinestone cross.
Fox News Digital is awaiting confirmation about whether Gracey’s jewelry was also recovered when his body was found.
Mourners arrive at a memorial mass for Jimmy Gracey at the Church of the Holy Family in Chicago, IL, Monday, March 23, 2026. The 20-year-old Elmhurst native died last week in Barcelona, Spain. (Kamil Krzacynski for Fox News Digital)
The group departed the club around 3 a.m. Tuesday, but Gracey stayed behind and was last seen chatting with an American woman, according to local reports.
Authorities have not yet confirmed his movements after leaving.
Mourners arrive at a memorial mass for Jimmy Gracey at the Church of the Holy Family in Chicago, IL, Monday, March 23, 2026. (Kamil Krzacynski for Fox News Digital)
Gracey was reported missing the following morning after his friends woke up and noticed he had not returned to the group’s Airbnb along Ronda de Sant Pere, located about 1.5 miles from the popular nightclub.
His cellphone was later recovered after authorities arrested an unnamed individual known to authorities for previous charges, but officials determined the individual was not involved in Gracey’s disappearance and instead charged him with “illegal possession of another person’s belonging.”
On Monday, friends and loved ones poured into the Church of the Holy Family in Chicago, Illinois for a memorial mass in honor of Gracey.