Investigators are not ruling out the possibility that University of Alabama student Jimmy Gracey was drugged before he fell to his death along the coast of Spain. Gracey, 20, a junior at the University of Alabama, had traveled to Barcelona to visit friends who were studying abroad.
Gracey never returned home after a night out at the beachfront nightclub Shôko, where he got separated from his friends around 3 a.m. on Wednesday. Barcelona police have publicly described the 20-year-old's death as an accident, but a source told Fox News Digital that investigators privately still believe he may have been under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both when he drowned.
Foul Play Not Ruled Out
Police divers recovered Gracey's body in about 12 feet of water near Port Olímpic around 6 p.m. on Thursday. Investigators believe he may have walked toward the water on his own and accidentally fallen in, possibly while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both, according to a source.
Authorities also detained a man who had taken Gracey's phone, but they don't believe he had any direct interaction with the student. The man, who reportedly has a history of theft, is believed to have simply found the phone on the street and kept it.
Gracey's wallet was later found floating nearby and recovered, still containing his cash, credit cards, and identification, according to reports.
Investigators are still working to piece together the final details before closing the case, with key findings like the autopsy and toxicology results still pending, a source said.
In the hours leading up to his death, Gracey had been out with friends at a popular nightclub. One of the main theories being explored is that he may have been drugged, taken substances on his own, or consumed enough alcohol to become disoriented.
Mystery Deepens
A source with close ties to the police offered more insight into the man arrested for taking Gracey's phone, explaining that he likely came across the device on the street and simply picked it up. Authorities don't believe the man—who reportedly has a history of theft—had any direct interaction with Gracey.
Investigators said on Friday that the evidence so far points toward an accidental death, though they declined to go into further detail about the incident.
Gracey's body had been found the day before in water about 13 feet deep near Port Olímpic, not far from where he was last seen leaving the Shôko nightclub around 3 a.m. Tuesday.
He vanished after becoming separated from his friends inside the club and was reported missing when he didn't return to their Airbnb, located roughly two miles away on Ronda de Sant Pere.
The last reported sighting of him was by someone who saw him walking toward the rocky coastline near the beachfront venue.
While authorities initially considered the possibility of foul play, a final determination is expected only after the autopsy results are completed in the coming weeks.
"Jimmy was a deeply loved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend, and our family is struggling to come to terms with this unimaginable loss," his devastated family wrote in a statement.
Gracey—who was known to friends and family as Jimmy—had traveled to the Spanish city to spend time with friends studying abroad. He was also actively involved on campus, serving as the chaplain of the Alpha Phi chapter of the Theta Chi fraternity.
