Spanish investigators looking into the tragic death of a 20-year-old University of Alabama student are currently not considering criminal charges. The student, who disappeared during a spring break outing in Barcelona, is at the center of an ongoing inquiry while authorities await the final results of toxicology tests following an initial autopsy.
James “Jimmy” Gracey went missing after spending the night at Shoko nightclub, a well-known venue in the city, early Tuesday morning.
His body was discovered on Thursday in a nearby marina, about 500 feet from the club.
Initial autopsy findings suggest that Gracey’s death was probably accidental, with no evidence of injuries before his disappearance, according to local police reports.
An undated photo shows Jimmy Gracey wearing a Crimson Tide football jersey. The University of Alabama junior was declared missing from his trip to Barcelona on March 17. (Gracey family)
“All indications suggest an accidental death, but we are withholding specific details about the sequence of events,” stated a spokesperson for the Mossos d’Esquadra, the regional Catalan police force.
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.
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