Authorities discovered the remains of Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student who had gone missing, in a Nashville river on Friday. Strain had disappeared earlier in the month after leaving a country bar. The Metropolitan Nashville Police announced that Strain’s body was retrieved from the Cumberland River in West Nashville, about 8 miles from the city’s downtown area. The discovery was made near 61st Avenue North at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Friday, as reported by WKRN news station.
No signs of foul play have been detected, but an autopsy is planned to determine the cause of death. Strain was in Nashville with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers and went missing after exiting country star Luke Bryan’s bar, Luke’s 32 Bridge, on March 8. During his visit to the bar, the 6-foot-7 finance major bought one alcoholic beverage and two waters, according to the TC Restaurant Group, which operates and owns Luke’s 32 Bridge. The bar’s security decided to escort him out due to his behavior, which did not meet their conduct standards. He was escorted through the front exit of the building at 9:35 p.m., with a member of his group initially following him but then returning upstairs.
Strain had informed his friends that he would head back to their accommodation at the Tempo by Hilton, located about five blocks from the bar. However, he was last seen heading in the opposite direction of the hotel, crossing Gay Street around 9:47 p.m., a 17-minute walk from Luke’s 32 Bridge, as per Nashville police.
A brief interaction between Strain and Nashville police officer Reginald Young was captured on the officer’s bodycam while Strain walked down Gay Street. Officer Young, who was responding to a reported vehicle burglary in the area, checked on Strain’s well-being, to which he responded affirmatively. Strain showed no signs of distress during this short exchange.
A local homeless individual reported seeing Strain, who appeared highly intoxicated, nearly falling into the Cumberland River along a trail. Police noted that Strain was last seen on Gay Street at 9:52 p.m., with no further footage of him found after that time. Strain was not reported missing until approximately four hours after he was removed from Luke’s 32 Bridge, at 1:35 a.m., when a friend returned to their hotel and discovered he was not there.
His phone’s last known location was between 10 and 10:30 p.m. in the vicinity of Public Square Park, close to the sheriff’s office and the Cumberland River. A woman with whom Strain had a romantic connection texted him on the night he vanished to check on him. She received a peculiar, seemingly nonsensical reply from Strain, which left her confused and searching online for its meaning. This odd message was seen as indicative of Strain’s mental state that evening.
On March 17, Strain’s bank card was found on the river’s embankment, though there had been no activity on the card since his disappearance.