Police in Spain say they’ve opened an investigation after a 20-year-old college student from suburban Elmhurst disappeared following a night out with friends in Barcelona earlier this week.
James “Jimmy” Gracey, a junior at the University of Alabama, traveled to Spain over spring break to visit friends who were studying abroad, according to a statement from Gracey’s family. He was last seen leaving a club in Barcelona, the capital city of the Catalonia region.
“We are conducting the initial checks and have taken a report in an open investigation,” Catalonia Police said in a statement to NBC News. Police added that the first call about Gracey was received early in the morning on Tuesday.
“The disappearance was reported to have occurred on March 17, 2026, at 3:00 AM, in the Port Olímpic area,” the statement said.
Gracey, a graduate of Saint Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, was last seen by a friend at about 3 a.m. Tuesday at Shôko, a beachfront nightclub in the Olimpica area on the Barceloneta Beach, Gracey’s family said. He was last seen wearing a white shirt, dark pants, and a chain with a gold rhinestone cross.
In a social media post verified by NBC Chicago, Gracey’s mother pleaded for help.
“My son is a university of Alabama student who is visiting friends in Barcelona who are studying abroad,” the message, posted by Gracey’s mother and shared to a Students in Barcelona 2026 Facebook group, said. “They went to Shoko last night. The police have his phone but he didn’t make it back to the air bnb. Has anyone see him?”
It wasn’t immediately clear how police obtained Gracey’s phone.
He is approximately 6 feet, 1 inch tall and 175 pounds. Anyone with information on his disappearance is asked to call 224-505-3886.
A University of Alabama spokesperson shared the following statement to NBC Chicago regarding Gracey’s disappearance:
“James Paul Gracey is a UA student on a personal trip,” the statement said. “UA staff are in touch with the family and those associated with them to offer support and assistance in any way possible.”
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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