Breaking News: The mysterious disappearance of 20-year-old Jimmy Gracey in Barcelona is sending shockwaves through the community.

According to friends, Jimmy spent the night partying at the popular nightclub Shôko. They said he was constantly on his phone throughout the night, seemingly exchanging tense messages with someone. Things took a troubling turn when one friend reportedly saw Jimmy in a heated argument inside the club’s bathroom. Later, around 3 a.m., the group left the venue—but Jimmy chose to stay behind. After that moment, he was never seen again.

Authorities have now taken possession of Jimmy’s phone as part of the investigation and are reviewing surveillance footage from the area. One CCTV clip reportedly shows Jimmy leaving the club with another person, raising growing concerns that something unusual may have happened after he walked out those doors.

What messages was Jimmy sending that night? And who was the mysterious person seen leaving with him?
As investigators dig deeper, many fear the truth behind that night may be far more unsettling than anyone expected.

Body found in Barcelona identified as missing college student James Gracey

Authorities say they have found the body of college student from Illinois who was vacationing in Spain.

The body of 20-year-old James “Jimmy” Gracey was found Thursday evening in the water off a Barcelona beach, the press office for Catalonia’s regional police in Barcelona told The Associated Press. A team of police divers found the body.

His body was found near where he was last seen outside a nightclub with his friends early Tuesday.

He never returned to the room he was renting with friends. Police recovered his phone soon after he went missing. Gracey was a student at the University of Alabama, and was visiting friends in Barcelona for a spring break trip.

Catalan police say that their investigation continues into the cause of death.

Gracey, a college student at the University of Alabama, was last seen outside the Shoko nightclub in Barcelona but separated from friends around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, his family said.

Gracey never returned to the room he was renting with friends, according to family members who live in the suburb of Elmhurst, about 19 miles (31 kilometers) west of Chicago. His family realized something was wrong when police contacted them saying they had recovered his phone.

Barcelona is a popular tourist destination that brings in millions of foreign visitors each year. It is generally safe, especially compared with major U.S. cities, where tourists’ biggest worry are normally pickpockets.

Barcelona’s beaches, located in walking distance of its center, are a main draw especially for young visitors. The area where Gracey went out is a stretch of beach with several restaurants and nightclubs that are frequented by locals and foreigners.

“We are keeping Jimmy and his family at the forefront of our thoughts, and our staff are in direct communication with the family to offer every support and assistance possible,” the University of Alabama said in a statement on Thursday.

Gracey was a member of the Theta Chi fraternity at the school, and the international organization said he held two positions within the school’s chapter.

___

O’Connor reported from Springfield, Illinois, and Raza reported from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Associated Press writers Suman Naishadham in Madrid and Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, Spain, contributed to this report.

Breaking News: New questions are emerging in the mysterious disappearance of 20-year-old Jimmy Gracey after a chilling night out in Barcelona.