Riley Strain, a 22-year-old University of Missouri student was found dead two weeks after he went missing on March 8, 2024. He was traveling with his Delta Chi Fraternity brothers to Nashville for their spring formal when his friends lost touch with him after he left them at Luke Bryan’s bar.
The police his body was found in a Nashville river.
Here’s all we know about Riley Strain’s Tragic Disappearance and Death
A timeline of Riley Strain’s disappearance
According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Strain was traveling with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers to Nashville for their spring formal. On March 8, 2024, he and his friends were hanging out at Luke Bryan’s bar in Nashville when Riley was asked to leave the bar.
The 22-year-old was asked to leave the bar when according to the spokesperson of the bar, the security team of the bar made a decision based on their conduct standards to escort him from the building through their Broadway exit at the front of the building.
He then told his friends he was going back to the hotel where they were all staying, but he never got there. His friends realized this after they could not find his location using Snapchat. When they tried calling him on their phones, their phone calls went to voicemail.
On March 9, one of the Delta Chi brothers reported him missing to the authorities. After the police could not reach him, they checked all the local hospitals and jails but to no avail.
Thereafter, his friends informed his parents and the search by the authorities continued.
The Search for Riley Strain Began
The Metro Nashville Police Department was able to secure the security camera footage from the owner of Luke’s 32 Bridge. On the surveillance video, Riley was seen stumbling after he left the bar.
On March 10, his family members joined the search when they arrived in Nashville. They visited where Strain’s cellphone was last located.
On March 13, the authorities began investigating if Riley Strain was overserved at the bar. The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission launched an investigation as regards that.
Another footage that was released by the authorities was one that Strain was talking to one police officer, Reginald Young on the night he disappeared. According to Officer Young, Strain did not seem distressed when he saw.
As per PEOPLE, Strain’s family revealed they saw unreleased video footage of him walking toward a bridge several days prior. The family added it was the last known video of Riley.
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His body was found in a river on March 22
On March 22, 2024, Riley Strain’s body was recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville after two women, Anna Clemdening and Brandy Baenen found his bank card at the river bank.
After an autopsy was carried out, the authorities said in a statement that there were no signs of foul play-related trauma and that Riley’s death was an accident. However, his family disagreed hence they ordered a second autopsy hoping they would get more information.
Strain’s family wants answers
The family might just be right seeing that there are still unsolved puzzles surrounding the case. According to reports, after Strain’s body was recovered, he was not wearing his belt, pants, wallet, or the cowboy boots he had on the night he disappeared.
A family friend revealed Riley was wearing his favorite belt on the day he disappeared. He also added that, if he was wearing the belt when he fell into the river, the belt would hold his pants.
A month after investigators claimed Rilye Strain drowned, his cowboy pants and wallet are yet to be recovered.
While the authorities’ preliminary autopsy indicated that Strain died of accidental causes, his family said it is hard to believe an excellent swimmer like Riley may have drowned. Furthermore, a medical examiner from the first autopsy stated that Strain had no water in his lungs.
His loved ones
Born January 2, 2002, Riley Ray Strain is survived by his parents Michelle and Chris Whiteid, siblings Brooke and Brock, and his extended family.
He graduated from Kickapoo High School before he enrolled to study business and financial planning at the University of Missouri Columbia.
Strain was passionate about a lot of things including his beloved three pets, Miles the golden doodle, Cooper the red heeler, and the German shepherds, Vikka and Vin.
