Laurence Dollimore
THE family of Grant Barr have said the body washed up on a Costa del Sol beach this week is not of the missing US banker.
Speaking to the Olive Press, Grant’s brother James Barr said they had spoken to the authorities and that any connection has been ruled out.
The headless corpse was found on Fuengirola beach, near the paseo maritimo, on Wednesday night.
It was dressed in a wet suit and had undergone ‘saponification’, a type of mummification that happens when bodies are sumberged in water for a long time, turning them into a wax-like substance.
Andalucia minister Pedro Fernandez told reporters on Friday that an autopsy was still underway.
He added: “It is a corpse in a very advanced state of decomposition and appears decapitated… and some lower limbs also appear severed.
“This shows, even more so, that at first glance, and according to specialists, we are talking about a process of decomposition that has already taken place over time,” he said, adding that the investigation remains open.
Fernandez said it was ‘too early’ to know if the person suffered a violent death or an accident.
Grant Barr remains missing
Grant Barr, 36, disappeared from Estepona on the Costa del Sol on January 28, during a trip to see relatives and friends.
The financier has worked for some of the world’s biggest insitutions in the Big Apple, including Citi bank.
Photos of Grant, shared with the Olive Press by his brother James, reveal he is a keen sailor, with several shots showing him behind the helm of a sailing boat while flashing his bright white smile.
The family previously told the Olive Press that Grant’s passport, trousers and other belongings were later found near a beach in the resort.
His brother James Barr confirmed to the Olive Press last week that he and other family members are now in the area after flying in from the States.
He said: “We are here now and are getting a tremendous amount of support from both locals and the expat communities.
“Most of the people we speak to are aware of Grant’s dissapearnce, and several are actively assisting us in the search.”
James previously said: “Grant’s pants, passport and boating licence were found in a jetty by the beach in Estepona.”
He added: “My family and I are overwhelmed by the good people who have sent messages of hope and support, shared their stories with us, and offered assistance in any way possible.
“Finding him will be the result of regular everyday people sharing the story with their friends, families and networks, recognising his face and reaching out to us directly or contacting authorities.
“Seeing so many people reaching out everyday really gives us hope and helps us continue our efforts.”
He confirmed that ‘there has been no passport activity since his arrival in spain’, adding: “And now we have his passport as it was found with some other belongings.”
Grant is described as having brown hair and green eyes and is of a slim build, measuring around 5ft7 in height.
Grant, a banker based in New York, visits the Costa del Sol regularly as he has relatives there.
According to his LinkedIn page, Grant currently works for Alternative Funds Lending, and previously worked at major corporations, including Citi.
His father previously said that his son had planned to go sailing but changed his mind.
He continued: “We spoke a few times, he was going through a difficult time emotionally… he then spoke to his brother and that was it…”
The US Embassy told the Olive Press it could not comment on the case due to privacy rules.
According to missing persons charity SOS Desaparecidos, Grant was last seen wearing blue jeans, white shirt and an orange jacket.
Anyone with information is urged to the organisation on +34 649 952 957 or +34 644 712 806.
Any information can also be provided to the Policia Nacional.
