Student Dies After Leaving Luke Bryan's Bar: What We Know

Search is over for University of Missouri student Riley Strainwho was found dead on March 22, a few weeks after his disappearance following a visit to Luke BryanNashville bar, 32 Bridge Food + Drink.

The high school senior, who was in town with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers for their spring ceremony, was last seen on March 8 after he was asked to leave the country singer's establishment.

“Around 9:45 p.m., he was asked to leave Luke Bryan's bar,” Strain's stepfather said. Chris Whiteid, told Nashville's WSMV. “They separated. The boys called him and he said, “I'm walking back to my hotel.” They didn't think anything of it. »

When his friends returned to their hotel about a half-mile away, they couldn't find 22-year-old Strain. They called his parents and the police before the search began.

According to those close to Strain, it is out of character for him not to be in contact with their family.

” It's very strange. Friday night when they arrived, he had sent pictures, he called,” Whiteid said on the Tuesday, March 12, episode. Top Story with Tom Llamas. “Yes, we are suffering and everything, but at the moment we are still waiting for a positive result.”

Keep reading to receive the latest information on Strain's disappearance and death.

Where was Riley Strain last seen?

After leaving Bryan's bar on March 8, Strain was seen on surveillance video crossing the street with a group and checking his phone. He then stopped and changed direction for a moment before walking down the street behind the group, according to ABC News.

Surveillance video from 9:46 p.m. showed Strain walking alone as he stumbled down a street. An additional angle appeared to show Strain running and falling.

In a newly released video obtained by ABC News on March 18, Strain briefly spoke with a police officer the night she disappeared. Officer Reginald Young came upon the student while responding to a car burglary on Gay Street, south of the Woodland Street Bridge, on the night of March 8.

Around 9:50 p.m., Strain passed alone. The policeman asked him how he was and he replied, “I’m fine, how are you?” »

“No video has been discovered showing Riley away from Gay St after 9:52 p.m.,” police told ABC News.

What did Luke Bryan and his bar say about the disappearance?

After news of Strain's disappearance began making headlines, Bryan shared a statement on Instagram from TC Restaurant Group, which owns and operates Luke's 32 Bridge.

“In our efforts to assist the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department's missing persons investigation into Riley Strain, we proactively provided detailed information quickly following his visit to our business on March 8,” the statement said. “This information included all security camera footage, photos of Riley at our facility with detailed timestamps, transaction records and staff accounts.”

The establishment also said it is communicating with the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission and providing all necessary documents to assist in its ongoing investigation.

“During Riley's visit to Luke's 32 Bridge, our records show that he purchased and was served one alcoholic beverage and two waters,” the statement said. “At 9:35 p.m., our security team made the decision, based on our standards of conduct, to escort him from the venue to our Broadway exit located in front of our building. He was followed down the stairs with a member of his group. The person who accompanied Riley did not come out and went back upstairs. Our prayers continue to be with Riley's friends and family during this difficult time and for his safe return.

What did Riley University say?

The University of Missouri said in a March 11 news release that school officials were quickly alerted to Strain's disappearance after he traveled to Nashville to “attend a private event.”

“The safety of our community is our highest priority,” said Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. Angela King Taylor, said in a statement via NBC News. “Our thoughts are with Riley’s family as the search continues. We will offer them whatever support we can and encourage anyone who needs help to use our counseling resources.

The Delta Chi fraternity, of which Strain is a member, also said it was “actively engaged” with university officials.

“Delta Chi hopes for Riley’s safe return,” the organization said. “Our thoughts are with his family and the members of the Missouri chapter during this time.”

Officers continue to work to find missing person Riley Strain, 22, who was last seen Friday. evening with friends at a bar on Broadway in Nashville. Riley is from Missouri and was visiting. He is 6’5″ tall with a slim build, blue eyes, and light brown hair. To see him? Please call 615-862-8600. pic.twitter.com/daqKDWGJJO

– Metro Nashville Police (@MNPDNashville) March 11, 2024

What happened to Riley's credit card?

On March 17, two Nashville women discovered Strain's bank card near the Cumberland River.

“I don’t really know how we found it.” Anna Clemdening told WSMV-TV after discovering the card withBrandy Baenen. “I would love to say simple lucky divine intervention – it was right there.”

Baenen added: “We had to find something. We found something. I don't know if that's enough.

Surveillance video previously released by police showed Strain walking in the wrong direction after leaving Bryan's bar. His last known path ended where the credit card was found. There is no evidence of foul play, according to authorities.

What was Riley's last text before she disappeared?

The last text message Strain sent before he disappeared was to a woman he was seeing, according to a family friend. Chris Dingman.

“She texted him to see how he was, if he was having fun,” Dingman said during his appearance on the March 18 episode of NewsNation. Elizabeth Vargas reports. “He sent her some sort of scripted text back saying, 'Good shot.' She said she had to Google it because she didn't understand what the slang was.

Dingman also didn't know what the term meant and later confirmed that Strain had spoken to his mother nearly two hours before she disappeared.

When and where was Riley's body found?

Nashville police announced Friday, March 22, that Strain's body was found eight miles from downtown Nashville.

“Riley Strain's body was found this morning in the Cumberland River in West Nashville, about 8 miles from downtown,” the police tweeted. “No trauma linked to foul play was observed. An autopsy is underway.

Strain's body was discovered in the water around 7:30 a.m. ET and taken by a medical examiner to be examined, according to local news outlet WKRN.

What was Riley's cause of death?

Nearly three months after Strain's body was found in a Nashville river, an autopsy report has been released, providing new details about the student's death.

Strain died of drowning and ethanol poisoning, according to the report obtained by TMZ on Tuesday, June 18. Documents indicated that Strain's blood alcohol level was 0.228 percent when his body was examined, and “traces of THC” were also found.

The report concluded that there was “no evidence of significant trauma to his body.” His manner of death was ruled accidental.