A New York City banker who vanished while vacationing in Spain has been found dead — but his family says they weren’t told for weeks.
Grant Barr - a 37-year-old alternative funds lending specialist with BNY Mellon - disappeared on January 28 while visiting Estepona, a coastal town on Spain’s Costa del Sol.
As reported by PEOPLE, Barr had traveled to the area for a sailing getaway, following what family members described as a difficult breakup.
His pants, passport, and boating license were found abandoned on a nearby beach, prompting a frantic search by his family that spanned weeks and even crossed borders, per The New York Post.
At one point, relatives feared he had left Spain entirely, possibly heading to Germany, Amsterdam, or Switzerland.
What they didn’t know was that Grant's body had already washed ashore on March 3.
According to his brother James Barr, Grant’s remains were not positively identified through DNA testing until early April — more than a month after he was found. That delay left the family unknowingly searching for a loved one who had already been recovered.
“While the thoughts of a worst-case scenario came to mind from time to time, none of us actually thought this would ultimately be the outcome,” James told The Spanish Eye.
His family said Grant’s death was ruled a drowning, though they’re still waiting for more answers about what exactly happened in his final hours.
“After a week and back and forth between the courts and the coroner’s office, his remains were released on Friday and we were able to cremate him and finally bring him home,” James said.
The timeline surrounding the case has sparked frustration. “The last time we were all there searching for [Grant] two weeks he was already found, however, they didn’t even suggest that there was something they were looking into,” James added.
Grant’s other brother Luke also issued a heartbreaking tribute.
“Our Brother passed on doing what he loved: facing the sea in its magnificent beauty and terrible might,” the family wrote. “Most Beloved Grant! We did not know that you were so many steps ahead of us! We will catch up to you soon, and be with you in paradise.”
Grant’s father, Michael Barr, had not left Spain during the ordeal. He previously told EuroWeekly News that Grant had been emotionally fragile before his disappearance, expressing paranoia and fears about his family’s safety.
His employer, BNY Mellon, confirmed his death in a statement to PEOPLE: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of our colleague, Grant Barr. On behalf of Grant’s coworkers and the entire BNY team, we wish to express our deepest sympathies to his family and will be supporting them at this incredibly difficult time.”
A graduate of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Grant previously worked with Citi before joining BNY. He is survived by his mother, father, and two older brothers.
As of now, neither Spain’s Guardia Civil nor Policia Nacional have publicly commented on the timeline of the discovery or the identification delay.
Grant’s cremated remains are now back in the United States.
Our thoughts go out to Barr's family and loved ones at this time.