Tennessee officials have reported that law enforcement discovered the remains of Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student who had been missing for several weeks, in a river in Nashville. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department stated that the body of the 22-year-old was found about 9 miles from downtown Cumberland River. They also mentioned that there were no indications of any injuries suggestive of foul play.
At a media briefing, Police Chief John Drake clarified that authorities discovered Strain’s body dressed in the same attire he was wearing on the day he went missing. Reports suggest that the 22-year-old student was last seen on March 8 during an outing with his Delta Chi Fraternity brothers. He vanished after departing from Luke’s 32 Bridge, a honky-tonk bar owned by musician Luke Bryan.
A relative of the 22-year-old student disclosed to WKRN in an interview that the last communication Strain’s mother had with her son was around 7:30 p.m. on the same evening. During the exchange, Strain reportedly expressed to his mother that he was enjoying himself.
During the press briefing, Drake presented surveillance footage depicting Strain appearing disoriented as he departed from Luke’s 32 Bridge. A few hours later, TC Restaurant Group, the establishment’s owner, refuted allegations of over-serving Strain in a statement. They stated that Strain had been served two glasses of water and one alcoholic beverage during his time at the bar.
According to a police report, Strain’s friends informed authorities that he had become separated from them, prompting them to attempt to locate him using Snapchat’s location feature. Despite their efforts, they were unable to find him, and they ceased their search approximately an hour later.
In response to the finding of Strain’s body, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell expressed on his Twitter account that the outcome was not what anyone had wished for. He extended his condolences to Strain’s parents and all those who cared for him.
