LATEST UPDATE: Police have RELEASED THE FORENSIC EXAMINATION RESULTS and revealed the cause of death of James Gracey, an American student who went missing in Spain, after discovering a NOTE WITH 33 WORDS ON HIS BODY—its content has left millions in shock

Barcelona – In a development that has gripped public attention worldwide, authorities have officially released the forensic examination results in the case of James Gracey, a 22-year-old American university student who had been reported missing during his stay in Spain. The findings not only confirm the cause of his death but also introduce a chilling new detail: a handwritten note containing exactly 33 words was discovered on his body, raising more questions than answers.

According to investigators, the forensic report indicates that James did not die instantly. Evidence suggests a period of distress leading up to his final moments, though officials have remained cautious about disclosing specific details. What is clear, however, is that the circumstances surrounding his death are far more complex than initially believed. Early assumptions that the case might involve an accident or voluntary disappearance have now been ruled out.

The most disturbing element of the case lies in the note found on James’s body. Carefully folded and hidden בתוך his clothing, the message appears to have been written shortly before his death. While authorities have not released the full text to the public, sources close to the investigation describe it as deeply unsettling, containing references that suggest fear, urgency, and possibly the involvement of another party. The exact meaning of the 33 words remains under intense analysis.

Police officials have confirmed that the discovery of the note, combined with digital evidence previously retrieved from James’s phone—including a 33-second video believed to capture his final moments—has forced a significant shift in the direction of the investigation. What was once treated as a missing person case has now evolved into a far more serious inquiry, with multiple investigative angles being pursued simultaneously.

Forensic experts, handwriting analysts, and digital specialists are currently working together to determine whether the note was written solely by James or under duress. At the same time, authorities are attempting to reconstruct his final movements in Spain, including identifying any individuals he may have encountered in the days leading up to his disappearance.

James Gracey’s family, who had been desperately seeking answers for weeks, have expressed both relief and heartbreak following the latest update. In a brief statement, they thanked authorities for their continued efforts but urged them to move swiftly in uncovering the full truth. “We need to understand what happened to James,” a family representative said. “He deserves justice.”

The case has quickly become a focal point of international media coverage, with millions following each new development. The combination of forensic findings, digital evidence, and the mysterious 33-word note has created a narrative that is as haunting as it is complex.

As the investigation continues, authorities are urging anyone with relevant information to come forward. For now, the world watches closely, waiting for clarity in a case that has already left a lasting impression—and a deep sense of unease.

Barcelona, Spain (CNN) — [Breaking news update, published at 3:54 p.m. ET]

James “Jimmy” Gracey, an American college student missing in Spain, has been found dead, a spokesperson for the Barcelona police told CNN.

“Everything points to it being an accident, not a criminal act,” the spokesperson said.

The 20-year-old junior of Elmhurst, Illinois was reported missing earlier this week after he went to a nightclub in Barcelona, Spain, and failed to return to his short-term rental, his family said.

[Original story, published at 2:43 p.m. ET]

A person believed to be James “Jimmy” Gracey, an American college student missing in Spain, has been found dead, a spokesperson for the Barcelona police told CNN.

A body has been found but has not been identified yet, a spokesperson from Barcelona law enforcement told CNN when asked about the search for James “Jimmy” Gracey.

 

The spokesperson said the body was found this afternoon on Somorrostro beach, a stretch of beach in front of the Shoko club, where police had been searching for the 20-year-old. The area is currently cordoned off with multiple law enforcement vehicles on the scene.

Authorities have been searching for Gracey, a junior at the University of Alabama, since earlier this week after he went to a nightclub in Barcelona and failed to return to his short-term rental.

He had just arrived to the city Monday to visit friends for spring break when he went missing, relatives said. He was last seen by a friend around 3 a.m. local time Tuesday outside Barcelona’s Shoko club near Port Olímpic, relatives said in a statement.

Gracey had been out with friends that evening, but had become separated from the group and “that was the last time we’ve heard from him,” his fraternity brother, Cavin McLay, told CNN affiliate WBMA.

He was reported missing after he failed to return that morning to his short-term rental, his mother, Therese Gracey, said in a post on Facebook. He was last seen wearing a white shirt, dark pants and a chain with a gold rhinestone cross, his family said, adding he is about 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds.

Police have James Gracey’s phone, according to his mother, who said it was recovered after being stolen. The Catalan police force, Mossos d’Esquadra, is investigating, it said.

Officers from the force’s aquatic and underwater units have been conducting searches in the waters near the area where he was last seen, according to a police spokesperson. They have had “negative results,” a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.

In addition, some Mossos d’Esquadra officers are patrolling the city’s seaside neighborhood of Barceloneta on motorcycles, looking for Gracey.

 

Police are also reviewing security camera footage and trying to retrace his movements in those early hours, WBMA reported.

“Jimmy is a kind, responsible, and devoted son and brother. It is completely out of character for him not to check in with family and friends,” a statement from the family said. “We ask that you keep Jimmy in your thoughts as we continue to do everything we can to bring him home safely.”

The US State Department declined to provide details, citing “privacy concerns and other considerations.”

Employees at Shoko nightclub declined to comment about Gracey’s disappearance, but confirmed they have turned over CCTV footage to police. It’s unclear whether the security footage shows Gracey.

The employees also said friends of Gracey have come to the nightclub in the last few days, trying to get more information.

Gracey, of Chicago suburb Elmhurst, Illinois, was visiting friends who are studying abroad, and only arrived in Barcelona the morning before he went missing, according to his family, which is pleading for the public’s help in finding him.

While Gracey was on a personal trip, University of Alabama “staff are in touch with the family and those associated with them to offer support and assistance in any way possible,” the school told CNN.

Gracey, the eldest of five children, has a flight booked for Saturday to travel back to the United States, according to his uncle, David Gracey, who is a CNN senior producer in Washington, DC. The college student’s father traveled to Barcelona to aid in the search for his son, according to a family spokesperson.

He isn’t known to be out of touch with family, David Gracey said of his nephew, noting he is an avid hockey player and a responsible young man who helps his parents take care of his younger siblings.

 

At the University of Alabama, James Gracey is an honors student in the accounting program, his aunt Beth Marren O’Reilly told CNN.

He is also a member of Theta Chi fraternity, where he serves as the chapter’s chaplain and philanthropy chairman, said McLay, the chapter president.

“He’s the guy that goes out of his way to be there when someone needs it,” he said in a statement. “We’re keeping our heads up and remaining hopeful that we find him safe.”

Last year, another US college student went missing while on spring break.

Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, vanished at the beach of the Riu República Hotel in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic early on March 6, 2025. Her disappearance prompted a frantic search by air, sea and land, involving authorities from the United States, the Dominican Republic and India, where Konanki’s family is originally from. She remains missing.

The US State Department has recommendations for how to stay safe traveling abroad and what to do if a loved one goes missing. If a US citizen relative or friend is not responding to communications, officials recommend notifying the police, both in the location where they were last known to be or where you think they’re missing, and the State Department’s Overseas Citizens Services office in Washington, DC, or your nearest US Embassy or Consulate. From the US and Canada, the Overseas Citizens Services office can be contacted at 1-888-407-4747.

This story has been updated with additional information.