Body of missing student Riley Strain found in river after he was kicked out of Luke Bryan's bar
The body of University of Missouri student Riley Strain has been found after he went missing following a visit to Luke Bryan's bar.
Police launched a search for Strain after he was last seen leaving Luke's 32 Bridge Food + Drink in downtown Nashville on March 8.
The 22-year-old student was originally from Missouri, but had been visiting Nashville and went to the bar with friends.
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In a statement, the bar said that Strain had been served 'one alcoholic drink and two waters' at the bar before he was escorted out by security at around 9.35pm local time.
The bar claimed Strain was asked to leave based on its 'conduct standards'.
Strain told his friends he would go back to the hotel where he was staying, but in an interview with WSMV, his stepfather Chris Whiteid said he never made it back to the hotel.
On March 14, Metro Nashville PD shared on X that its Urban Search & Rescue team had assembled to search for Strain along the brush line of the Cumberland River, where his bank card was discovered.
Today (March 22), the police department shared an update to say Strain's body had been found in the river.
"BREAKING: The body of Riley Strain was recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville this morning, approximately 8 miles from downtown," the department wrote.
It added that there was no indication of foul play, though an autopsy is yet to take place.
Prior to his disappearance, Strain was caught on security footage appearing to sway as he walked through the streets after leaving the bar. He appeared to stumble and even fall at one point.
He was last seen on video around 9:52pm, when he spoke briefly with an officer who was responding to a vehicle burglary on a sidewalk adjacent to the Cumberland River on Gay Street.
In the video, the officer asked Strain how he was doing, to which he replied: "I'm good, how are you?"
Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, described her son as 'everything' in an interview which took place as the search was ongoing.
Whiteid added at the time that the family believed police were handling the case 'well'.
"We know that there’s an excessive amount of information coming into them that they’re having to dissect,” he said. “Yes, as the days drag on, we are frustrated. We know they’re doing their job. We’ve seen what they’ve got.”
Police are set to share more details of the discovery of Strain's body in a news conference at 9:45am CT.
Emily Brown