Alabama student reportedly fell to his death in Barcelona waters by accident

Autopsy reveals James ‘Jimmy’ Gracey’s injuries consistent with repeatedly hitting breakwater’s rocks, Spanish media report

A University of Alabama student who was found dead in Barcelona after going missing while vacationing evidently fell into the sea by accident in view of surveillance cameras – and an autopsy revealed injuries on his body that were consistent with having repeatedly struck a breakwater’s rocks.

Such details about James “Jimmy” Gracey surfaced in the Spanish media as a spokesperson for police in Barcelona told the Associated Press that “all signs point” to the 20-year-old’s death as having been inadvertent.

Gracey was last seen outside the Shoko nightclub at about 3am on Tuesday. The native of suburban Chicago raised alarm when he did not return to a short-term rental where he was staying with friends who accompanied him on their spring break to the Catalan region’s capital.

And, in a development that generated international news headlines, his corpse ultimately was recovered Thursday afternoon in 13ft deep waters off a beach near the Shoko club.

Body of missing Illinois student found in waters off beach of Barcelona

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Spain’s El País newspaper, citing police sources, reported on Friday that local surveillance cameras captured video of Gracey walking by himself toward a dock and falling into the water “without third-party involvement”.

El Periódico, another outlet, added on Friday that a preliminary autopsy report filed in court in Barcelona “rules out foul play and supports the police hypothesis that [Gracey] accidentally fell into the sea and drowned”. Furthermore, the autopsy report documented “several injuries consistent with hitting the rocks of a breakwater”, according to Barcelona-based El Periódico, which also wrote that toxicology test results were pending.

The outlets’ reports contained details about the two-day search for Gracey. At one point, El País reported, Barcelona police found Gracey’s cellphone in the possession of a thief known to officers. But it was unclear whether Gracey lost the device or if it was stolen from him, and investigators ruled out its having anything to do with the subsequent fall into the sea, according to El País.

Meanwhile, El Periódico reported that police narrowed their search for Gracey after finding his wallet and some clothes. The outlet also reported that Gracey’s parents had traveled to Barcelona, and his body would be released to his family for repatriation and burial after the completion of the toxicology tests.

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James ‘Jimmy’ Gracey. Photograph: Gracey Family via AP

A statement from Gracey’s family members asked for prayers and privacy as they struggle “to come to terms with this unimaginable loss”.

“Our family is heartbroken,” the statement also said. “Jimmy was a deeply loved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin and friend.”

Barcelona draws millions of foreign tourists annually. It is considered generally safe, especially compared with major cities in the US, which has significantly higher rates of deadly gun violence than other high-income nations.

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The Mediterranean beaches in Barcelona are within walking distance of its bustling city center and frequently draw young visitors. When he went missing, Gracey had gone out to a stretch of beach lined with restaurants and nightclubs that are popular with both locals and visitors.

Before police confirmed Gracey’s death, his aunt described him in an interview with the AP as “just a great kid, a good Catholic boy” from the US’s midwest.

A statement from the University of Alabama said its community was “heartbroken” upon learning of Gracey’s death.

“Jimmy’s loss is deeply felt across our campus,” the university’s statement said. “Our condolences are with the Gracey family during this devastating time.”

University of Alabama student James Gracey might have been drugged before death: report

Investigators have not ruled out the possibility that University of Alabama student Jimmy Gracey was drugged before he fell to his death off the coast of Spain.

Barcelona cops have publicly indicated that the 20-year-old’s death was accidental, but privately, suspect he was under the influence of drugs, alcohol or both when he drowned, a source told Fox News Digital.

However, Gracey’s wallet, which was found floating nearby, was recovered, with his cash, credit cards and identification inside, the outlet reported.

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James Gracey’s death was likely “accidental,” according to Spanish authorities.AP
Investigators are waiting for several “loose ends” to be tied up before they can close the case, including the student’s autopsy and toxicology results, the source said.

Gracey had been at a popular nightclub with friends in the hours before his death, and a major hypothesis is that he could have been drugged, taken drugs himself or ingested a large enough amount of alcohol to disorient himself.

The insider, with close ties to police, also shed new light on the man arrested for pocketing Gracey’s phone, saying he found the device on the street and picked it up.

Police do not believe the man, who had a history of prior thefts, had any direct contact with Gracey, the source said, according to the report.

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Gracey’s body and his wallet were found Thursday, and his body was found in the water off Port Olimpic.REUTERS
Evidence points to “an accidental death,” investigators said Friday before declined to share additional details on the tragedy.

The student’s body was found the day prior in 13-foot-deep water off Port Olímpic, near where Gracey was last seen leaving Shôko nightclub around 3 a.m. Tuesday.

Gracey vanished after being separated from his friends in the clu,b and was reported missing when he failed to return to their Airbnb about two miles away in Ronda de Sant Pere.

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Gracey’s wallet was intact, with his cash, credit cards and identification inside, according to a source.AP
He was last seen alive by a person who reportedly saw him walking toward the rocky coastline, close to the beachfront club.

Authorities once suspected foul play, but an official ruling likely won’t come until autopsy results are finalized in the coming weeks.

“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,” his devastated family wrote in a statement.

Gracey – who went by Jimmy, and had traveled to the Spanish city to visit friends who were studying abroad – was the chaplain of the Alpha Phi Chapter of the Theta Chi Fraternity.

TRIBUTES FROM JIMMY GRACEY’S FRIENDS

Some of Jimmy’s friends have posted tributes onto their Instagram pages. They are heartbreaking. Jimmy was clearly loved by sooo many people. He truly seemed like a light in this dark world.

Please keep them in your prayers. They loved him like a brother. Not all of the guys in the pictures went to Barcelona, but I have been told that the ones who did flew back early because they were so devastated and couldn’t stand to be there without him.