Two weeks after vanishing, Riley Strain’s remains were located in the Cumberland River in West Nashville.
Riley Strain, a 22-year-old student at the University of Missouri, disappeared on the evening of March 8th while in Nashville for the annual formal event of his fraternity, Delta Chi.
His last known whereabouts were leaving Luke Bryan’s Music City bar, Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink, just before 10 p.m. According to his family, Riley was ejected from the bar due to overconsumption.
Chris Whiteid, Riley’s stepfather, stated, “When they removed [Riley], his friend attempted to accompany him, but they denied him at that point.”
Riley had informed another friend of his intention to return to their hotel but never arrived.
In the days following his disappearance, surveillance footage from downtown Nashville showed Riley stumbling along the sidewalk, appearing disoriented. His cell phone’s last signal was detected less than a mile from the bar, in the vicinity of Gay Street and James Robertson Parkway.
There were unverified reports of Riley wandering through homeless encampments along the riverbank, raising concerns that he might have fallen into the river.
Riley’s family traveled from Missouri to assist in the search, retracing his steps and even checking hospitals and morgues in the hopes of finding clues. The Metro Nashville Police Department deployed boats, helicopters, and extensive ground searches in their efforts.
Following an intensive two-week search, a body was discovered on Friday morning, March 22nd, in the Cumberland River in West Nashville, around 7:30 a.m.
The Metro Nashville Police Department confirmed via social media that the body belonged to Riley Strain.
In their statement, the department said, “The body of Riley Strain was retrieved from the Cumberland River in West Nashville this morning, approximately 8 miles from downtown.”
They also mentioned that foul play is not suspected as no signs of trauma were evident. This story is still unfolding.
