Mystery as US banker who vanished on vacation is found dead weeks after passport and pants were discovered on beach
THE remains of a missing American banker have been found over two months after he vanished, according to reports.
Grant Barr, 37, was staying with friends and family in Estepona, Spain, a resort town on the Costa del Sol, when he disappeared on January 28.
A pair of his trousers and his passport were found abandoned near a beach in the resort shortly after Barr went missing.
The findings sparked a months-long search by Barr’s family.
It has now emerged that Barr’s body washed ashore on March 3, although he was not identified until early April.
It means Barr’s family spent weeks searching for him when his body had already been collected by the authorities.
On April 6, Barr’s brother, James, told the local newspaper the Spanish Eye how he would “never give up” looking for him.
“We were notified late Friday that Grant’s remains were found washed ashore,” James said.
The brother said he does not know exactly where Barr was found yet, as he is waiting to read the full report.
James said police told him they had to use DNA to identify the remains of his sibling.
He added, “My brother Luke, my mom and I flew there immediately. My dad was already there as he had not left.
“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.
“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.”
Barr is survived by his mother Soheila, his Father Michael, and his two older brothers, James and Luke.
James shared a message from his brother Luke, which read, “Our Brother passed on doing what he loved: facing the sea in its magnificent beauty and terrible might.
“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.”
The family were told Barr’s remains were actually found on March 3, days after he went missing.
“It means the last time we were all there searching for two weeks he was already found, however they didn’t even suggest that there was something they were looking into,” James said.
The grieving brother said all the family knows at the moment is that the death was reported as drowning.
Barr worked in the finance sector in New York and regularly visited Estepona to see family.
He had worked at major corporations, including Citi, according to his LinkedIn page.
The Guardia Civil and Policia Nacional have not commented on the new developments.