University of Alabama student James Gracey reported missing after night out in Spain during spring break trip

A University of Alabama student has been reported missing following a night out with friends during a spring break trip to Spain, his family said.

James Paul Gracey, 20, was hanging out at Barcelona’s world-famous club, Shoko, on Tuesday, while visiting friends who are studying abroad in the Spanish city, before he vanished, his mother wrote on Facebook.

Therese Gracey said her son, who goes by Jimmy, was last seen by a friend inside the club at around 3 a.m. The friend had left the hotspot for the night, but Gracey had decided to stay.

Gracey failed to return to the residence he was staying, his mother said.

“The police have his phone but he didn’t make it back to the air bnb. Has anyone see him?” Therese Gracey pleaded to the “Students in Barcelona 2026” Facebook group.

Gracey, from Elmhurst, Illinois, is an honors accounting junior at the University of Alabama, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The school confirmed Gracey is a student at the Tuscaloosa school, but was on a personal trip at the time of his disappearance, according to ABC 33/40.

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

Gracey announced in October that he was elected to serve as the chaplain of the Alpha Phi Chapter of the Theta Chi Fraternity.

Fellow college students had reported seeing Gracey and were urging his family to reach out to local politicians and embassy officials to increase the manpower in the search for him.

Shoko was named the seventh best club in the world and best nightclub in Barcelona for 2025, according to Nightlife International.

The club offers award-winning cuisine being served on the Barcelona seafront, with the establishment “redefining nightlife with exclusive experiences” in the city.

Louisville, Kentucky, EDM artist Daniel Allan was headlining live music at the club Monday night.