A forensic expert questions Spain’s statements about the death of Jimmy Gracie
“So, you have a young man leaving a bar in the middle of the night, or certainly after midnight,” says Joseph Scott Morgan, assistant professor of applied forensics at the College of Forensic Medicine. jacksonville state university, He told Fox News Digital.
“He was allegedly seen leaving with someone initially, and now we are not clear about that. It is adjacent to a very slippery area, where rocks cascade into the water. Did he fall off the rocks? Well, I think that certainly makes sense.”
Gracie, a 20-year-old University of Alabama student, disappeared in the early morning hours of March 17 after hanging out with friends at a popular tourist bar in Barcelona. His body was found two days later near a nearby pier.
Catalan police divers from Mossos d’Esquadra search the beach and marina of Port Olimpic in Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, March 19, 2026. Police were searching for clues about the whereabouts of 20-year-old University of Alabama student James Gresi. (James Braeden for Fox News Digital)
Almost immediately, Spanish authorities told the press that Gresi’s death was accidental, and that he had wandered toward the water under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They told him The wallet was recovered intactWith cash, credit cards and ID inside.
The chain necklace that Gracey was wearing remains unaccounted for.
Authorities later said they recovered Gracey’s phone from a suspect in a crime unrelated to Gracey.
“The Spanish government, or at least their newspaper, is actually saying that he had multiple injuries over a number of hours – and they portray these injuries as bruises – over a number of hours, and that is not scientifically believable,” Morgan said. “You could be insulted (by) bouncing off rocks in a post-mortem or post-mortem situation, and get minor hits to your body, minor injuries, if you will, artifacts, as we refer to them, from these sharp rocks, but you won’t get bruised. That’s a problem for me.”
Jimmy Gracey in an undated photo wearing a Crimson Tide football jersey. The Alabama Junior University student was reported missing during a trip to Barcelona on March 17. (Gracey family)
Morgan argues that all the statements made by authorities were made too soon, especially regarding toxicology.
“I think the government, through the newspaper, is making statements regarding their conclusions about his death, and they’re missing a big piece of the puzzle here because everyone wants to know, did he have anything Put it in his drinkMorgan asked. “Was he up to something?” Let’s say like Date rape drugsThis would break down the inhibitions and certainly make it more manageable.“
The professor, who began his career with the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office in New Orleans in 1985 before becoming chief investigator for the Fulton County Medical Examiner in Atlanta, believes the Gracie family should have… Private autopsy Complete, though he’s not sure if that’s still possible.
Mourners attend a vigil for Jimmy Gracey held at Theta Chi Fraternity at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Tuesday, March 24, 2026. Gracey died last week while on spring break in Barcelona, Spain. (Dana Mixer for Fox News Digital)
““I think the family would be well served by having their own examination of Jimmy’s remains conducted by a certified forensic pathologist who they would have to contract to do that,” he said.
But, as confirmed by Fox News Digital, chief communications officer Harlice Valles of Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan provincial-level police, said that Gracie’s body was returned to the United States on Tuesday.
“Now, here’s the big problem, which is that his body was prepared before leaving Spain to travel here, okay? “We don’t know what organ samples they can still benefit from,” Morgan said. “The great part about this is that there is no toxicology you can do here. The toxin samples drawn in Spain will be key.”
Ultimately, Morgan is concerned that Spanish authorities could have jumped to the conclusion of accidental death, given that Barcelona is a major tourist hub. He said he had seen many such cases.
A vigil is held for Jimmy Gracie at Theta Chi Fraternity at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Tuesday, March 24, 2026. Gracie died last week during spring break in Barcelona, Spain. (Dana Mixer for Fox News Digital)
Click here to download the FOX NEWS app
“Barcelona is a holiday destination,” he said. “There are millions of people there now, and a large portion of that population at the moment is on holiday. I have friends in Great Britain who love to go to Spain, who love to go to Barcelona. So, yes, this is their life’s blood.”
“So, yeah, I can see, you know, you don’t want to turn away the customer, and the fact that they were trying to defuse it so early, it raises an eyebrow, I have to tell you.”
Post Comment