MISSING college student James “Jimmy” Gracey’s final steps before his disappearance have been revealed as the search for him dragged into a third day.

James, a 20-year-old from Illinois, was last seen around 3am on Monday at a beachfront nightclub in Barcelona, Spain.

James Paul "Jimmy" Gracey smiling while wearing a white University of Alabama jersey.
James Gracey, a college student on spring break, was reported missing after a night out at Shoko nightclub in Barcelona, SpainCredit: Family Handout
 


Shoko, where James was last seen, is a popular nightclub in Barcelona known for drawing in a crowd of touristsCredit: Alamy
 


New details emerged that James’ wallet was found floating in the water near Somorrostro beachCredit: Google Maps
James, a member of the Alpha Phi Chapter of Theta Chi at University of Alabama, was in Barcelona for spring break on a personal trip when he was reported missing after he didn’t return to his Airbnb.

Authorities discovered a body about 13 feet deep in the Mediterranean Sea during a coastal search on Thursday, Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia reported.

James’ parents were informed of the discovery.

His body was found near the city’s coastline around 6pm local time, The Objective reported.

A rep for the family issued a statement to The U.S. Sun after the news was revealed.

“We are so grateful for the kindness and concern that has been shown for our family during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement read.

“We have made the decision to pause media interviews at this time to focus on being together and caring for one another. Thank you for respecting our privacy and holding our family in your thoughts and prayers.”

The family said they will share updates when and if they are able to.

One of James’ fraternity brothers spoken out before the discovery about the missing student’s final steps before he vanished.

Cavin McLay told local Alabama outlet WBMA that James was out with friends, but “unfortunately, he was separated from the rest of the group later into the night.”

“And that was the last time we’ve heard from him,” McLay said.

James’ worried mother, Therese Gracey, said her son was last seen by a friend at the Shoko nightclub, a spot that reportedly draws in a big crowd of tourists, partygoers and influencers.

“A couple of kids in our friend group were already studying abroad there so the rest of the group visited as their Spring Break,” a friend of James’ told The U.S. Sun.

Gisela Macedo, a journalist with the El Pais Spanish newspaper told WBMA that James was “with a friend who left earlier, but Jimmy decided to stay in the club but he never came back.”

James was last spotted on a surveillance camera leaving the nightclub with an unidentified person, a reporter with Spanish outlet El Periódico told WIAT.

The reporter said police are now suspecting there could be foul play involved in his disappearance.

No persons of interest have been identified and the surveillance footage has not been released to the public.

Local police also recovered James’ phone after he went missing, his family said.

“We’re not 100 percent sure what the situation was because it was a bit hard to understand the police due to the language barrier but we believe that it was stolen,” a direct family member of James’ told The U.S. Sun on Wednesday.

“The cops found the phone on the person who stole it from [James].”

The search for James continued into Thursday. The search expanded to coastal zones after James’ wallet was found floating in the sea near the Somorrostro beach.

Officials have been using helicopters to search the area where the wallet was found, WMBA reported.

A family member told The U.S. Sun that James’ father, Teras, landed in Spain to meet with police and assist with the search on Wednesday and Therese was expected to land in Spain later in the day as well.

The family has been working with local police in addition to the Embassy and State Department as the search continues.

“The Trump Administration has no greater priority than the safety and security of Americans, and the State Department stands ready to provide all consular assistance to Americans in need abroad,” a spokesperson with the State Department told The U.S. Sun.

“When Americans are missing abroad, we can help their families and friends to file missing persons reports and help them understand local procedures,” the statement continued. “Due to privacy and other considerations, we have nothing additional to add at this time.”

Several people close to James have spoken out about the odd disappearance, with his aunt Beth O’Reilly saying it is “completely out of character for him not to check in.”

One of James’ friend told The U.S. Sun, “Jimmy has a good head on his shoulders.”

“He runs bible study at our fraternity before dinner. This is a super smart, great kid,” the friend said.

According to James’ mother, Therese, the college student was last seen wearing a T-shirt, dark pants, mot likely joggers, and a gold chain with a rhinestone cross.


James vanished at around 3am on TuesdayCredit: Instagram
 


The nightclub is one of a string of hotspots on Barcelona’s popular Somorrostro areaCredit: Google Maps