March 19, 2026
Spring Break Nightmare: Foul Play Suspected With Missing University of Alabama Student
Apple Podcasts 
Spotify 
Castro 
RSS Feed 20 year old University of Alabama student James “Jimmy” Gracey never made it back to his Air-Bnb Tuesday after going out with friends in Barcelona, Spain. Gracey was on a spring break trip visiting friends studying abroad and was last seen on surveillance video at 3am after leaving with an unidentified person. Now his family, friends and the State Department are asking for the public’s help.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
00:00:11
Speaker 1: Hey, folks, it is Thursday, March nineteenth, and there is a University of Alabama student who is right now missing in Spain, been missing for a couple of days, but now authorities are saying they do believe foul play is involved with that.
00:00:26
Speaker 2: Welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ.
00:00:28
Speaker 3: This twenty year old kid right Yes, he's a junior at the University of Alabama and his name is James Jimmy Gracie. And look this hits home. You know, this is a kid, a college kid on spring break. How many people listening right now have kids doing that right now? I am among them, And this is absolutely apparents first nightmare.
00:00:50
Speaker 1: We've seen these stories over years, some very high profile of cases, quite frankly, over the years in which we have in some cases don't really get a whole lot of answers. I'm not moving toward that direction, but what I'm saying here seems like we have seen some of these stories over the past number of years, and in romes when you're in the pain or excuse me, the I guess the helplessness a parent must feel sitting this far away, maybe not speaking the language way over some and just lost and just doesn't know what to do. And that is where they're sitting right now, because this kid went missing on it was early Tuesday morning hours, so I have that right. They went out Monday night.
00:01:33
Speaker 3: Yes, so he had been in Amsterdam in the weekend, had just gotten to Barcelona on Monday, went out to a very popular tourist restaurant and nightclub right there on Barcelona Beach and was with a big group of friends. And yes, the last time he was seen he got separated from his friends, according to those who were out with him that night. It happens, but he was last seen leaving this club at three am early Tuesday morning with someone else.
00:02:02
Speaker 1: Now that part came later, I do believe, right, because initially they didn't know, but now it's being reported that the local media is reporting that. In fact, police do have some footage that leads him to believe that he was with someone else. And that is where we're getting now to more. I guess a serious issue here robes where foul play is being thrown around.
00:02:23
Speaker 3: Yes, look, a lot of this is obviously garnering a ton of attention locally there in Barcelona, and as you point out, local reporters have said that police told them, this does not look like your typical missing person's case where a kid gets drunk, loses his way, can't find his way home, and eventually returns. They say, this does not look like that type of scenario. And it's interesting they have not released the video, this footage that has been found, this surveillance video of him leaving this club. Shoko is the name of the club, and they just said it's someone who has not been identified, and certainly right now we know that they are looking now to trace his steps. Police did tell local reporters that there are a ton of cameras in this area, that's the good news. And so they are going through all of that surveillance footage, all of those CCTVs to try and piece together to put a timeline together of where this young man might have gone.
00:03:21
Speaker 1: So we put it so we're now forty eight hours, right, forty eight hours since this young man has been seen, and Rope was one of the early thing. I guess anybody with anybody in the world, but also anybody with a kid who is anywhere in that age range almost hell ten to twenty five, they're not going to be without their cell phone and This is a part that really got the family concern.
00:03:43
Speaker 3: Yes, so police did not confirm this, but his mother went on Facebook almost immediately desperate because they learned pretty quickly that police have their son's phone. That is frightening. You know, no kid who is of any age truly would go without their phone. And look, you could think I've gotten these phone calls later from another phone when my daughters have been out they've lost their phone, so you might hope that could be the case. But this certainly is beyond frightening to know that there's no way of getting in touch with him, and they were trying to get a hold of him, and then recognize pretty quickly the police in fact at his phone instead of their son. That is just so disturbing. And a friend who was with him earlier in the night said that he just got separated from the group and that was the last time they saw him. And they are out now on the beaches. His father has arrived in Spain from what we understand already, and they are searching handing out flowers. But right now there are no persons of interest and police aren't really giving any details about what they may know at this point. Other than the fact that foul play is suspected.
00:04:49
Speaker 2: And it seems I guess not odd.
00:04:51
Speaker 1: But look, we've if you've traveled, if you've traveled to Europe, if you traveled to places and you're going out and late night and clubbing, it's just you're not familiar. You're always going to have your phone trying to figure out where you're going. It's always an issue where do I meet up with people, where do I find the right cap, how do I get back to where we're going? And you're in it can frankly be a little intimidating, a little scary because a lot of people there know that Americans are there not paying attention, young tipsy or whatever else, and we get prayed on. Oftentimes this was a situation rogues where at least from our reading, it was it seemed like such a big group of them that were together, so it would it would seem, I mean, things happened chaos, but it was it was a big group of them that went over to understand, to visit another group that was studying abroad. It seemed like so many of them were there.
00:05:41
Speaker 3: As friends and safety and numbers, right, that's what you always think and I get chills because you know, I'm thinking directly of analysts who actually studied abroad in Spain and who has gone to visit friends who are studying abroad. She's right now on spring break here in this country, but yes, when she's overseas, especially, I'm worried about my young daughter, right, And my number one thing to her always is I know every parent says this, be with someone else, never be alone, don't get separated. Always have your buddy. That is where your biggest protection lies, in being with people who know you and who love you and who care about you. And I say this because we say this to our daughters, right, We beat this in their heads. Do people think about that in the same way when they think of their sons? A six to one hockey player who's one hundred and seventy five pounds twenty years old. Do those parents I don't have a son, do they feel as worried about their sons? I think I don't know if those same things are drilled into young men's heads.
00:06:40
Speaker 1: Not sure you're with a friend, not maybe not drilled into young men's heads, but it is an awareness. I don't think any parents sins their son obviously you're worried about your kids all the same always, there is something about that I don't think most parents will tell their sons. Make sure you have a buddy. And the way it's drilled into heads of women, and the way women are preying on. We've seen this in places we've gone. You felt this before, in places you've gone where women groups of women are preyed on. And look, there's a possibility, there's a hope even ah, maybe he got drunk, maybe got some bad drugs, maybe passed out somewhere, maybe's in the hospital. Maybe I'm sure they're looking into all that. So I guess you have to ropes right now, reserve some hope and possibility that he's going to turn up.
00:07:29
Speaker 3: We want to read for you the Gracie family statement. They put it out. They said who he was, that he was there on spring break, but he actually they actually went into a deep description about what he was wearing and who he is and what he's like. They said he was wearing a white T shirt, dark pants, and a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. He's six one, one hundred and seventy five pounds or asking for anyone who may have seen him or as information to contact a local police but they said this 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. I'm just imagining this poor family. The mom right now is still back here in the stage. They're from the Chicago area, but he has four siblings, so the father has gone over to Spain. The mother I know wants to get there, but trying to take care of his younger siblings at the same time while all of this is going on.
00:08:34
Speaker 1: Yeah, this is not a matter of this is not out of character. Something's wrong, Something obviously is wrong. He's just he didn't decide to just go off. Something is wrong. We don't know what that thing is, and you have to hold out some hope. But ROSEI, as we know, we talk about the family, the support they're getting, and we have seen plenty of times robes whether that's any tragedy that happens to a college student is an impact on a college community that's almost nothing like it.
00:09:02
Speaker 2: Right when you talk about.
00:09:04
Speaker 1: Kids in safety and a campus, and even within a college town, there is a smaller community that's within the college campus itself. So you could imagine right now what's going on at the University of Alabama. Stay here will tell you the support they are also trying to give and the outpouring of love and support that we're seeing down in Birmingham, excuse me, in Tuscaloosa right now, stay here, all right, continuing here on Amy and TJ. With my apologies once again to the University of Alabama. Of course, we of course know exactly where your school is located, as a University of Arkansas and University of Georgia alumna here, but usually robes, to be honest with you, we hear University of Alabama, and we usually turn our noses up because we are as much as we are combatants, as much as we are forever even sworn enemies on the battlefield and gren iron and on the courts. When something like this happens, all that stuff just goes away. We are all a community, the sec community. Even there was something even seeing the headline of a University of Alabama student. My heart sank a little more just because of that affiliation.
00:10:21
Speaker 2: Robe.
00:10:22
Speaker 1: But the community down there is trying to support this family, and in the community itself needs support as well.
00:10:30
Speaker 3: Oh, this is just it's worst case scenario. I get emotional just because I just know how many people are just heartbroken at trying to figure out what happened to this young man, a junior set to graduate next year. And so yes, mom and dad and families in Chicago, but the University of Alabama community rallying around this family, saying they're there to support the family and the students who are all on spring break. But people are scattered around the world. This is what happens universities this week. The students are all around the world. Frankly, so I imagine just the amount of support given to that family. They said they're here for them, set to do anything that they need to help an assist in the investigation.
00:11:13
Speaker 1: But yeah, this was a not a school, university sanctioned trip. There were students from the university, but they're on personal travel right now. But still that's not going to stop university from doing absolutely everything they can to help this family. What's next right now, Ropes, this is a wait and see what comes next, and this family is now again. I don't know their background. Maybe they are fluent speakers in Spanish, maybe, but Robes, even in this country, speaking perfect English to a police department in the communication, that seems like sometimes always constantly necessary to be able to help police, even that barrier is there that has to be overcome. I'm sure they have translators and whatnot, but I just imagine having it's almost the worst case scenario. Your child is missing a place that you can't accurately communicate or easily communicate with the locals about it, and can't get information back in an easy, a quick er timely way. I know they have translators and all that stuff, but Roe, that's a barrier.
00:12:12
Speaker 3: No, you make such a good point, because it's scary enough trying to deal with any missing person situation here, even in the States. Now, it's the language barrier, it's the cultural barrier. It's how they operate, how they conduct their police investigations, and their judicial system might be is completely different than the way things operate here in the US, So you would absolutely be at a huge disadvantage just in terms of making sure you're on top of the latest investigation and knowing all the latest information. And so the State Department here actually has released a statement because they're obviously helping this family. You can only imagine what's going on behind the scenes, but they actually released a statement saying that the Trump administration and the State Department is ready there to help not only this family, but all Americans who are broad and in need. And so they just made a point to say, yes, they're respecting the family's privacy, but certainly they made it known that they are supporting the family and helping the family right now, because look, we know forty eight hours, right Everyone always says how crucial the first forty eight hours are to try and find someone to bring them home safely. That's the goal here. But that is the concern. You mentioned other high profile cases, did your mind? Mine went straight to Natalie Holloway. I just remembered that case so well on spring break there in Aruba, and you know, just those answers came so so much later than anyone wanted. It was such a mystery for so long. But those are always just those cases stay with you when you cover them.
00:13:40
Speaker 2: This one today, folks.
00:13:42
Speaker 1: We will keep a close eye on it because any of those developments could come at any moment. And like you said, Robie pinsing forty eight hours, that's another thing about Yes, we have that understanding here in this country.
00:13:54
Speaker 2: I always say the first forty eight hours are crucial.
00:13:57
Speaker 1: We also have different rules in this country when someone is actually considered missing and when police can get involved. I don't know what those rules are in Spain. I don't know if the rules are one way in Spain in a different way in Barcelona or like. Those are things you got to get caught up on. And how seriously, all the times we hear this, we've seen this foreign police department.
00:14:17
Speaker 2: Ah, some drunk American and they'll show up.
00:14:19
Speaker 1: Kind of a thing to where how do you get them to really invest in your case? You want to think, yes, they would give it high priority, but do they will they? All those things have to be dealt with in this case now, So focus on one. We keeping an eye on close eye. On the top right corner of your Apple podcast app, where you see our show page, there's a button there that says follow click that you can subscribe and make sure all of our updates come directly to you, but from now we always appreciate you spending some time with us.
00:14:44
Speaker 2: I'm TJ. Holmes on behalf of a me Robock. We will talk to you guys soon
Speaker 1: Hey, folks, it is Thursday, March nineteenth, and there is a University of Alabama student who is right now missing in Spain, been missing for a couple of days, but now authorities are saying they do believe foul play is involved with that.
00:00:26
Speaker 2: Welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ.
00:00:28
Speaker 3: This twenty year old kid right Yes, he's a junior at the University of Alabama and his name is James Jimmy Gracie. And look this hits home. You know, this is a kid, a college kid on spring break. How many people listening right now have kids doing that right now? I am among them, And this is absolutely apparents first nightmare.
00:00:50
Speaker 1: We've seen these stories over years, some very high profile of cases, quite frankly, over the years in which we have in some cases don't really get a whole lot of answers. I'm not moving toward that direction, but what I'm saying here seems like we have seen some of these stories over the past number of years, and in romes when you're in the pain or excuse me, the I guess the helplessness a parent must feel sitting this far away, maybe not speaking the language way over some and just lost and just doesn't know what to do. And that is where they're sitting right now, because this kid went missing on it was early Tuesday morning hours, so I have that right. They went out Monday night.
00:01:33
Speaker 3: Yes, so he had been in Amsterdam in the weekend, had just gotten to Barcelona on Monday, went out to a very popular tourist restaurant and nightclub right there on Barcelona Beach and was with a big group of friends. And yes, the last time he was seen he got separated from his friends, according to those who were out with him that night. It happens, but he was last seen leaving this club at three am early Tuesday morning with someone else.
00:02:02
Speaker 1: Now that part came later, I do believe, right, because initially they didn't know, but now it's being reported that the local media is reporting that. In fact, police do have some footage that leads him to believe that he was with someone else. And that is where we're getting now to more. I guess a serious issue here robes where foul play is being thrown around.
00:02:23
Speaker 3: Yes, look, a lot of this is obviously garnering a ton of attention locally there in Barcelona, and as you point out, local reporters have said that police told them, this does not look like your typical missing person's case where a kid gets drunk, loses his way, can't find his way home, and eventually returns. They say, this does not look like that type of scenario. And it's interesting they have not released the video, this footage that has been found, this surveillance video of him leaving this club. Shoko is the name of the club, and they just said it's someone who has not been identified, and certainly right now we know that they are looking now to trace his steps. Police did tell local reporters that there are a ton of cameras in this area, that's the good news. And so they are going through all of that surveillance footage, all of those CCTVs to try and piece together to put a timeline together of where this young man might have gone.
00:03:21
Speaker 1: So we put it so we're now forty eight hours, right, forty eight hours since this young man has been seen, and Rope was one of the early thing. I guess anybody with anybody in the world, but also anybody with a kid who is anywhere in that age range almost hell ten to twenty five, they're not going to be without their cell phone and This is a part that really got the family concern.
00:03:43
Speaker 3: Yes, so police did not confirm this, but his mother went on Facebook almost immediately desperate because they learned pretty quickly that police have their son's phone. That is frightening. You know, no kid who is of any age truly would go without their phone. And look, you could think I've gotten these phone calls later from another phone when my daughters have been out they've lost their phone, so you might hope that could be the case. But this certainly is beyond frightening to know that there's no way of getting in touch with him, and they were trying to get a hold of him, and then recognize pretty quickly the police in fact at his phone instead of their son. That is just so disturbing. And a friend who was with him earlier in the night said that he just got separated from the group and that was the last time they saw him. And they are out now on the beaches. His father has arrived in Spain from what we understand already, and they are searching handing out flowers. But right now there are no persons of interest and police aren't really giving any details about what they may know at this point. Other than the fact that foul play is suspected.
00:04:49
Speaker 2: And it seems I guess not odd.
00:04:51
Speaker 1: But look, we've if you've traveled, if you've traveled to Europe, if you traveled to places and you're going out and late night and clubbing, it's just you're not familiar. You're always going to have your phone trying to figure out where you're going. It's always an issue where do I meet up with people, where do I find the right cap, how do I get back to where we're going? And you're in it can frankly be a little intimidating, a little scary because a lot of people there know that Americans are there not paying attention, young tipsy or whatever else, and we get prayed on. Oftentimes this was a situation rogues where at least from our reading, it was it seemed like such a big group of them that were together, so it would it would seem, I mean, things happened chaos, but it was it was a big group of them that went over to understand, to visit another group that was studying abroad. It seemed like so many of them were there.
00:05:41
Speaker 3: As friends and safety and numbers, right, that's what you always think and I get chills because you know, I'm thinking directly of analysts who actually studied abroad in Spain and who has gone to visit friends who are studying abroad. She's right now on spring break here in this country, but yes, when she's overseas, especially, I'm worried about my young daughter, right, And my number one thing to her always is I know every parent says this, be with someone else, never be alone, don't get separated. Always have your buddy. That is where your biggest protection lies, in being with people who know you and who love you and who care about you. And I say this because we say this to our daughters, right, We beat this in their heads. Do people think about that in the same way when they think of their sons? A six to one hockey player who's one hundred and seventy five pounds twenty years old. Do those parents I don't have a son, do they feel as worried about their sons? I think I don't know if those same things are drilled into young men's heads.
00:06:40
Speaker 1: Not sure you're with a friend, not maybe not drilled into young men's heads, but it is an awareness. I don't think any parents sins their son obviously you're worried about your kids all the same always, there is something about that I don't think most parents will tell their sons. Make sure you have a buddy. And the way it's drilled into heads of women, and the way women are preying on. We've seen this in places we've gone. You felt this before, in places you've gone where women groups of women are preyed on. And look, there's a possibility, there's a hope even ah, maybe he got drunk, maybe got some bad drugs, maybe passed out somewhere, maybe's in the hospital. Maybe I'm sure they're looking into all that. So I guess you have to ropes right now, reserve some hope and possibility that he's going to turn up.
00:07:29
Speaker 3: We want to read for you the Gracie family statement. They put it out. They said who he was, that he was there on spring break, but he actually they actually went into a deep description about what he was wearing and who he is and what he's like. They said he was wearing a white T shirt, dark pants, and a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. He's six one, one hundred and seventy five pounds or asking for anyone who may have seen him or as information to contact a local police but they said this 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. I'm just imagining this poor family. The mom right now is still back here in the stage. They're from the Chicago area, but he has four siblings, so the father has gone over to Spain. The mother I know wants to get there, but trying to take care of his younger siblings at the same time while all of this is going on.
00:08:34
Speaker 1: Yeah, this is not a matter of this is not out of character. Something's wrong, Something obviously is wrong. He's just he didn't decide to just go off. Something is wrong. We don't know what that thing is, and you have to hold out some hope. But ROSEI, as we know, we talk about the family, the support they're getting, and we have seen plenty of times robes whether that's any tragedy that happens to a college student is an impact on a college community that's almost nothing like it.
00:09:02
Speaker 2: Right when you talk about.
00:09:04
Speaker 1: Kids in safety and a campus, and even within a college town, there is a smaller community that's within the college campus itself. So you could imagine right now what's going on at the University of Alabama. Stay here will tell you the support they are also trying to give and the outpouring of love and support that we're seeing down in Birmingham, excuse me, in Tuscaloosa right now, stay here, all right, continuing here on Amy and TJ. With my apologies once again to the University of Alabama. Of course, we of course know exactly where your school is located, as a University of Arkansas and University of Georgia alumna here, but usually robes, to be honest with you, we hear University of Alabama, and we usually turn our noses up because we are as much as we are combatants, as much as we are forever even sworn enemies on the battlefield and gren iron and on the courts. When something like this happens, all that stuff just goes away. We are all a community, the sec community. Even there was something even seeing the headline of a University of Alabama student. My heart sank a little more just because of that affiliation.
00:10:21
Speaker 2: Robe.
00:10:22
Speaker 1: But the community down there is trying to support this family, and in the community itself needs support as well.
00:10:30
Speaker 3: Oh, this is just it's worst case scenario. I get emotional just because I just know how many people are just heartbroken at trying to figure out what happened to this young man, a junior set to graduate next year. And so yes, mom and dad and families in Chicago, but the University of Alabama community rallying around this family, saying they're there to support the family and the students who are all on spring break. But people are scattered around the world. This is what happens universities this week. The students are all around the world. Frankly, so I imagine just the amount of support given to that family. They said they're here for them, set to do anything that they need to help an assist in the investigation.
00:11:13
Speaker 1: But yeah, this was a not a school, university sanctioned trip. There were students from the university, but they're on personal travel right now. But still that's not going to stop university from doing absolutely everything they can to help this family. What's next right now, Ropes, this is a wait and see what comes next, and this family is now again. I don't know their background. Maybe they are fluent speakers in Spanish, maybe, but Robes, even in this country, speaking perfect English to a police department in the communication, that seems like sometimes always constantly necessary to be able to help police, even that barrier is there that has to be overcome. I'm sure they have translators and whatnot, but I just imagine having it's almost the worst case scenario. Your child is missing a place that you can't accurately communicate or easily communicate with the locals about it, and can't get information back in an easy, a quick er timely way. I know they have translators and all that stuff, but Roe, that's a barrier.
00:12:12
Speaker 3: No, you make such a good point, because it's scary enough trying to deal with any missing person situation here, even in the States. Now, it's the language barrier, it's the cultural barrier. It's how they operate, how they conduct their police investigations, and their judicial system might be is completely different than the way things operate here in the US, So you would absolutely be at a huge disadvantage just in terms of making sure you're on top of the latest investigation and knowing all the latest information. And so the State Department here actually has released a statement because they're obviously helping this family. You can only imagine what's going on behind the scenes, but they actually released a statement saying that the Trump administration and the State Department is ready there to help not only this family, but all Americans who are broad and in need. And so they just made a point to say, yes, they're respecting the family's privacy, but certainly they made it known that they are supporting the family and helping the family right now, because look, we know forty eight hours, right Everyone always says how crucial the first forty eight hours are to try and find someone to bring them home safely. That's the goal here. But that is the concern. You mentioned other high profile cases, did your mind? Mine went straight to Natalie Holloway. I just remembered that case so well on spring break there in Aruba, and you know, just those answers came so so much later than anyone wanted. It was such a mystery for so long. But those are always just those cases stay with you when you cover them.
00:13:40
Speaker 2: This one today, folks.
00:13:42
Speaker 1: We will keep a close eye on it because any of those developments could come at any moment. And like you said, Robie pinsing forty eight hours, that's another thing about Yes, we have that understanding here in this country.
00:13:54
Speaker 2: I always say the first forty eight hours are crucial.
00:13:57
Speaker 1: We also have different rules in this country when someone is actually considered missing and when police can get involved. I don't know what those rules are in Spain. I don't know if the rules are one way in Spain in a different way in Barcelona or like. Those are things you got to get caught up on. And how seriously, all the times we hear this, we've seen this foreign police department.
00:14:17
Speaker 2: Ah, some drunk American and they'll show up.
00:14:19
Speaker 1: Kind of a thing to where how do you get them to really invest in your case? You want to think, yes, they would give it high priority, but do they will they? All those things have to be dealt with in this case now, So focus on one. We keeping an eye on close eye. On the top right corner of your Apple podcast app, where you see our show page, there's a button there that says follow click that you can subscribe and make sure all of our updates come directly to you, but from now we always appreciate you spending some time with us.
00:14:44
Speaker 2: I'm TJ. Holmes on behalf of a me Robock. We will talk to you guys soon