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Grant Barr, 37, disappeared on Tuesday, Jan. 28, while visiting friends and family in Estepona, a coastal town along Spain’s Costa del Sol. The discovery of his passport, boating license, and pants near a beach that same day sparked a desperate search.
But on Monday, April 7, Barr’s father, Michael Carr, shared devastating news on Facebook: “It is with profound sadness that I speak of the passing of my youngest son Grant. His remains were discovered and confirmed through DNA.”
Barr’s body had been found just days after his disappearance, on Monday, March 3, but his family wasn’t informed until early April due to delays in identification. The lag left loved ones searching in vain across Europe, holding out hope long after their worst fears had already become reality.
Spanish authorities have preliminarily ruled his death a drowning, Spanish newspaper The Olive Press reports. The exact location where his body was recovered remains unclear. The family is now awaiting full police and coroner reports.
After weeks of frustrating back-and-forth with Spanish authorities, the family was finally able to retrieve Grant’s remains, cremate him, and bring him home to the US.
Originally from the US, Barr worked in New York’s financial sector, holding senior roles at firms including Citi, BNY Mellon, and First Republic Bank. Most recently, he specialized in private equity and alternative fund lending, according to his LinkedIn profile.
His father described him as a thrill-seeker who was a certified skydiver, was working on getting his pilot’s license, and loved sailing.
“My son at the helm,” the elder Carr captioned a photo of his son steering a sailboat. “He had a gigantic thirst for life.”
Barr’s visit to Spain was intended as a much-needed break following a difficult personal time, with his brother Luke telling The Olive Press: “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.”
Friend Serena Frey remembered Barr as a vibrant presence with an unmatched ability to uplift those around him. “He was smart as hell, generous, well spoken, and a master of making any casual conversation deeper than what was previously bargained for,” she wrote on Facebook. “You and your antics will be utterly missed.”
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