Newly Released Footage Shows What Happened Before Riley Strain’s Disappearance
on Jul 17, 2024
On March 8, 2024, Mizzou student Riley Strain went missing during Spring Break in Nashville – a story that gripped the nation until his body was recovered two weeks later.
Riley Strain, a 22-year-old University of Missouri senior, was in Music City with his Delta Chi fraternity for their annual formal trip in March. Strain and his fraternity brothers were enjoying the sites and sounds of the city when things went terribly wrong.
After an evening of bar hopping on Lower Broadway, Strain was kicked out of Luke Bryan’s downtown bar, Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink. He was led out of the establishment by security and was never heard from again.
For two weeks following his disappearance, authorities, his family, and volunteers scoured the city for signs of his last known whereabouts. Local businesses released security camera footage showing him stumbling through the streets, clearly disoriented and unstable. All signs pointed to Riley last being seen near the banks of the Cumberland River.
On Friday morning, March 22, authorities received a call from a man who worked for a company along the river. The man told the dispatcher that he had discovered a body that he believed to be Riley. The body was confirmed to be that of Riley Strain, putting an end to an intense search. But it was just the beginning for his family who had more questions than answers.
At the time of the discovery of Riley’s body, authorities announced that there were no signs of foul play and his death was considered accidental. But his family argued that there was more to the story. They believed that “someone helped Riley into the river” and that he had possibly been overserved by the bars he visited, but investigators rejected both theories.
Another question that lingered was why Riley Strain was kicked out of Luke Bryan’s bar in the first place.
Early in the investigation, Luke’s 32 Bridge security told authorities that Strain had been escorted out due to violating the bar’s “conduct standards.”
Newly released surveillance camera footage from the Tennessee Alcohol Beverage Commission shows Strain purchasing drinks inside a few Nashville bars before being kicked out of Luke Bryan’s. Footage also shows what appears to be Riley arguing with a security officer moments before being asked to leave.
At 9:28 p.m., a photo of Riley was sent to the bar’s staff along with a message that read, “Verbally aggressive with staff, no entry.” 11 minutes later, a second message was sent to staff indicating that Riley had re-entered the bar and was asked to leave once again.
Strain’s toxicology report indicated blood alcohol levels at more than twice the legal limit for driving. Delta 9 was also found in his system.
See the moments that led to Riley Strain’s eviction from Luke Bryan’s bar in the video below. Then scroll down to see extended footage from all of the bars Strain and his fraternity brothers visited that night.
