NASHVILLE, TN – Riley Strain, a 22-year-old student from the University of Missouri, was found dead in the Cumberland River in West Nashville on Friday. Strain was reported missing after being evicted from a Nashville bar while on a trip with his fraternity members. His body, located approximately 8 miles from downtown, was identified by Metropolitan Nashville Police.
Strain was visiting Nashville with his fraternity brothers from Delta Chi. His disappearance was noted after he left Luke Bryan’s bar, Luke’s 32 Bridge, on March 8. Following his disappearance, police pieced together clues from phone pings, unclear surveillance footage, and a bank card found earlier this week on the riverbank.
The student spent time at Luke’s 32 Bridge where he bought one alcoholic drink and two waters. Due to the perceived conduct standards and Strain’s behavior, he was expelled from the bar. He then told his friends he was heading back to the Tempo by Hilton, their hotel which was a few blocks away from the bar.
However, footage confirmed that after leaving the bar, Strain was seen crossing Gay Street, an action that is in the opposite direction of their hotel. He was then seen on Nashville Police officer Reginald Young’s body camera while walking down Gay Street.
A local homeless man testified to witnessing an extremely intoxicated Strain nearly falling into the Cumberland River from a trail. He was seen for the last time on Gay Street at around 9:52 p.m. The student wasn’t reported missing until 1:35 a.m. when his friend got back to their hotel room and found him absent.
His last phone location was disclosed between 10 p.m and 10:30 p.m near the Public Square Park, which is close to the sheriff’s office and Cumberland River. Strain’s bank card, unused since his disappearance, was found on the river’s embankment on March 17.