Spanish authorities investigating the death of 20-year-old University of Alabama student James “Jimmy” Gracey who vanished after a night out with friends while on spring break in Barcelona are not currently pursuing criminal charges as officials await final toxicology results following a preliminary autopsy.
Officials shared an update on the case with Fox News Digital on Monday, the same day mourners gathered for a memorial mass for Gracey near his hometown in Chicago.
Mourners arrived Monday at the Church of the Holy Family in Chicago in memory of Gracey, who disappeared in Barcelona early Tuesday, March 17.
He had been partying in the city’s popular Shoko nightclub before disappearing. On Thursday, authorities pulled his body from the water in a nearby marina located just 500 feet away.
AUTHORITIES SHARE UPDATE ON CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND MISSING COLLEGE STUDENT JIMMY GRACEY’S DEATH
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 tragically last week in Barcelona, Spain. (Kamil Krzacynski for Fox News Digital)
Jimmy Gracey pictured in an undated photo wearing a Crimson Tide football jersey. The University of Alabama junior was reported missing from a trip to Barcelona on March 17. (Gracey family)
A preliminary autopsy pointed to Gracey’s death as likely due to an accident and did not show signs the college junior sustained any injuries leading up to his disappearance, according to local police.
“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.
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)
JIMMY GRACEY’S WALLET FOUND INTACT, BUT DRUGGING NOT RULED OUT IN DEATH OF ALABAMA STUDENT IN BARCELONA
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.
GOT A TIP?
“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.
FOLLOW US ON X
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.
GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL
Fox News Digital is awaiting confirmation about whether Gracey’s jewelry was also recovered when his body was found.
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.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS
Authorities have not yet confirmed his movements after leaving. 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.
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)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
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.”
News
“WHAT THEY FOUND IN HER BACKPACK… CHANGED EVERYTHING.” The Heartbreaking Discovery After a 19-Year-Old’s Final Journey 💔 Orla Wates, 19, daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, tragically lost her life in a motorbike crash in Vietnam—but what was discovered afterward left everyone shaken.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
“SEND THIS… PLEASE.” The Final Message She Asked a Stranger to Deliver Before Everything Went Dark 💔 Orla Wates, 19, daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, tragically lost her life after a motorbike crash in Vietnam—but what happened in her final moments has left everyone shattered.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
“HER LAST WORDS MADE EVERYONE FREEZE.” What the 19-Year-Old Whispered Before Losing Consciousness Will Break You 💔 Orla Wates, a 19-year-old British teenager, tragically passed away—but what happened in her final moments is what truly haunts those who were there.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
“MOM… I JUST WANT TO COME HOME.” Her Final Whisper in a Hospital Room Thousands of Miles Away 💔 In a quiet hospital room in Vietnam, a young British girl lay fading, her strength slipping away with every breath. Machines hummed softly around her as the reality no one wanted to face crept closer. With what little strength she had left, she leaned toward her mother… her voice barely more than a breath. And in that fragile, heartbreaking moment, she whispered the words that would haunt forever.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
“SHE LEFT FOR A GAP YEAR… AND NEVER CAME HOME.” What Really Happened on the Ha Giang Loop? 💔 Orla Wates, a 19-year-old from the UK, was chasing freedom and adventure—until one sudden moment changed everything. Riding on the back of a motorbike through northern Vietnam, her journey took a devastating turn that no one saw coming. Officials say the bike lost control… but the truth behind the crash remains unclear, with unanswered questions still haunting the case.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
“SHE FELL… AND HE JUST WALKED AWAY.” The Driver’s Chilling Reaction After a Crash That Took a 19-Year-Old Girl’s Life 💔 What was meant to be a dream adventure for Orla Wates turned into a nightmare when a single reckless move changed everything. She was thrown onto the road in a devastating fall—yet the driver walked away without a scratch.
Orla Wates, 19, Obituary, Death: Daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, Dies in Vietnam Motorbike crash accident The tragic death of 19-year-old Orla Wates has brought profound sorrow to her family and all who knew her. Orla, the daughter of British businessman Andy Wates, a director of the Wates Group, lost her life following a […]
End of content
No more pages to load
