Tom Ewart Smith
THE body of missing American banker Grant Barr has been found washed ashore on the Costa del Sol more than two months after he vanished, the Spanish Eye has confirmed.
Barr, 37, had been staying with relatives and friends in Estepona when he disappeared on January 28, sparking a desperate search across southern Spain.
His passport and trousers were later found near a jetty by the beach, raising concerns over his safety but offering little clarity.
It has now emerged that Barr’s body was recovered from the shoreline on March 3 – just days after he went missing – but was not identified until early April.
Spanish authorities used DNA testing to confirm his identity, only notifying his family late last week.
“We were notified late Friday that Grant’s remains were found washed ashore,” his brother James Barr told the Spanish Eye on Sunday evening.
James said the exact location where Grant was found is still unclear, as the family awaits the full police and coroner’s report.
But after a week of navigating bureaucracy between the courts and the coroner’s office, the family was finally able to recover Grant’s remains, cremate him, and return him to the United States.
The Olive Press had previously reported extensively on the family’s tireless efforts to locate Grant.
In an earlier interview, James confirmed that Grant’s passport, trousers, and boating licence had been found abandoned near a beach.
He also said there had been no passport activity since Grant’s arrival in Spain.
“We are here now and are getting a tremendous amount of support from both locals and the expat communities,” he said at the time.
“Most of the people we speak to are aware of Grant’s disappearance, and several are actively assisting us in the search.”
The family spent weeks scouring the area – unknowingly, during a time when his body had already been recovered by authorities.
While the cause of death has so far been ruled as drowning, the family awaits further clarification as the official investigation continues.
Originally from the United States, Barr worked in finance in New York and had held positions at global firms, including Citi.
According to his LinkedIn profile, he was most recently employed at Alternative Funds Lending.
A keen sailor, he frequently visited the Costa del Sol, where he had close ties and family connections.
Photos shared by his family show him smiling behind the helm of a sailboat, embodying a man who found joy at sea.
Yet it remains unclear whether he went sailing on the day he disappeared.
His father previously said Grant had initially planned to sail but had changed his mind.
“We spoke a few times, he was going through a difficult time emotionally… he then spoke to his brother and that was it…” his father recalled in an earlier interview.
His last known appearance was in Estepona, wearing blue jeans, a white shirt, and an orange jacket, according to missing persons charity SOS Desaparecidos.
The US Embassy declined to comment on the case due to privacy laws.
