While there’s no update yet on the boy from Elmhurst, Illinois, local police have said that they’ve found his phone. Gracey was last seen in the area of Shoko, a beachfront nightclub. Authorities believe he left the club with an unknown person and they suspect ‘foul play’ in the case. A report also noted that Gracey was believed to have been talking to a brown-haired American female there, though it remains unclear if she is the person he left the club with.

Now, Abby Escobar, the true crime digital creator known as Abby Blabby, has claimed that Gracey’s wallet was found down the beach.

“I was just informed that Jimmy Gracey’s wallet was found down on the beach,” she wrote on Facebook and added “Please continue to pray for his safe return! If you didn’t see my previous post, his church has started a 4-day rosary prayer campaign for him. See the last photo for details.”

However, there is no official confirmation about Gracey’s wallet having been found. HT.com could not independently verify the claim made.

His family commented on authorities coming in possession of the phone, telling The US Sun “We’re not 100 per cent 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. The cops found the phone on the person who stole it from [James].”

“I don’t get why these kids don’t stick together? When you go somewhere together, you leave together – that’s like Friendship 101. How many times are we going to hear about these stories (Riley Strain, Lucas Mattson, Alex Hendry, the list goes on & on),” one person wrote on X.

Another added “It brings me back to Riley Strain, Trenton Massey, Sudiksha Konanki & so many others.” Yet another person said “I thought of Riley Strain also. Praying he is found alive.”

On Facebook too, a person commented “Omg. This brings back memories of #RileyStrain,” to which the true crime content creator remarked “Right??? Remember his credit card was found down on the beach?.”

Strain, a Missouri college student, was found drowned in a Tennessee river two weeks after he was reported missing. This incident was in 2024. Abby noted that the Barcelona club was also right on the water. “It’s right on the water. I would imagine that he was intoxicated, although that’s just my speculation,” she wrote on Facebook.

Despite parallels being drawn, a key difference is that law enforcement had clarified at the start that they did not believe foul play was involved in Strain’s case. However, that is not the opinion of authorities when it comes to Gracey’s matter.

The University of Alabama student’s disappearance is also being compared to the case of Sudiksha Konanki, the Indian-origin US student from the University of Pittsburgh who also disappeared at the age of 20. She was last seen on March 6, 2025 and was also on a Spring Break vacation with her friends, in the Dominican Republic.

As for Gracey, he was last seen wearing a white shirt, dark pants, and a chain with a gold rhinestone cross. Gracey’s father Taras is reportedly already in Spain to help find his son, and his mother, Therese is expected to be headed there as well.

Jimmy Gracey: First details on mystery person at Shoko nightclub in Barcelona; mother Therese takes big decision

James Gracey, or Jimmy, a University of Alabama student from Elmhurst, Illinois, went missing in Barcelona, Spain, while on his Spring Break.

Gracey had gone to visit his friends who were studying there and was reportedly last seen around 3am local time at beachfront nightclub Shôko, where authorities reportedly saw him leave with someone.

Police found his phone and suspect that foul play could be involved. Amid this, the first details have emerged on one person Gracey was speaking to before he disappeared.

It is not yet known if this is the same person Gracey was seen leaving with since authorities are yet to provide details on the same.

Amid this, Gracey’s mother, Therese has taken a big decision and could be headed to Barcelona, Spain, as per All Alabama. His father, Taras, is already in Spain, the publication also reported.

In a statement from Gracey’s family, they said “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. We are working closely with local authorities and are incredibly grateful for the support we have received. We ask that you keep Jimmy in your thoughts as we continue to do everything we can to bring him home safely.”

Gracey was seen wearing a white shirt, dark pants, and a chain with a gold rhinestone cross.

“We’re not 100 per cent 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. The cops found the phone on the person who stole it from [James],” the family had said about the missing phone being with the cops, as per The US Sun.

They also reported a fraternity member belonging to the Alpha Phi Chapter of Theta Chi say “I heard Jimmy’s dad is on the way to Spain to help find him. This is super tough on all of us right now. He was there visiting with a bunch of our other friends who are juniors. A couple of kids in our friend group were already studying abroad there so the rest of the group visited as their Spring Break. The whole thing is so confusing. I just want to see him again.”

BARCELONA, SPAIN — The frantic search for missing University of Alabama student Jimmy Gracey has taken a “dark and sinister” turn today, after investigators uncovered secret dating app messages suggesting the 20-year-old was lured to a pre-arranged meeting at a location far from the city’s famous nightlife district.

In a heartbreaking development, his father, high-profile attorney Taras Gracey, has officially identified a gold crucifix necklace found by a passerby earlier today. The jewelry—a signature piece Jimmy was seen wearing in his final social media posts—was discovered discarded in the dirt nearly seven kilometers away from the Port Olímpic beachfront where he was last seen.

“We are devastated,” a source close to the family told Daily Mail. “To find his cross so far away, in a place Jimmy had no reason to be, points to something beyond a simple disappearance. We fear he was taken.”

THE ‘HONEYTRAP’ THEORY

While initial reports focused on a “mystery brunette” seen talking to Jimmy inside the Shôko nightclub, digital forensic experts have now cracked open a much more calculated lead.

Sources within the Mossos d’Esquadra (Catalan Police) reveal that Jimmy had been actively messaging a woman on a popular dating app in the hours leading up to his disappearance. The logs show a “frantic” exchange of messages ending at approximately 3:15 AM—just minutes after he stepped out of the club alone.

Crucially, the pair did not agree to meet at a bar or a well-lit plaza. Instead, the investigation has shifted to a “specific, secluded location” on the outskirts of the city. Police have refused to name the exact spot to protect the ongoing search, but an official spokesperson confirmed: “The digital footprint suggests a pre-arranged encounter at a site that is not typically frequented by tourists. We are treating this as a high-priority criminal inquiry.”

A FATHER’S AGONY

Taras Gracey, who flew to Barcelona immediately after his son was reported missing, was seen leaving a local police station visibly shaken. Eye-witnesses say the father collapsed into the arms of a family friend after being shown the diamond-set cross recovered from the remote site.

The discovery of the necklace—found đamaged—has led experts to believe a struggle may have occurred.

SHOCK NEWS AT A GLANCE:

• The Device: Jimmy’s phone was previously recovered from a thief, but the data inside has now revealed the secret chats.

• The Location: The 7km distance suggests Jimmy may have been transported by vehicle shortly after leaving the club.

• The Mystery Woman: Police are now working to trace the IP address of the “dating app” profile, fearing it may be a fake account used to target wealthy foreign students.

“This has all the hallmarks of a calculated trap,” says former FBI agent and missing persons expert, Leo Vance. “In these cases, the 7km mark is often where the ‘handover’ or a struggle happens. The fact that his jewelry was left behind is a chilling sign.”

As the 48-hour window closes, the University of Alabama community remains in shock, holding vigils for the accounting major who “everyone loved.”

Do you have information? If you were near the Shôko nightclub or the Bunkers del Carmel area between 3 AM and 6 AM on Tuesday, contact the Barcelona authorities immediately.