Riley Strain’s Father Says Family Hasn’t Heard From His Fraternity Brothers
on Apr 06, 2024
During an interview with NewsNation one month after Riley Strain’s disappearance, his father shared that the college students Riley was last seen with haven’t reached out to the family.
Riley Strain went missing March 8 after being kicked out of Luke Bryan’s downtown Nashville bar, Luke’s 32 Bridge. Strain was in Music City with his fraternity for their annual formal when he disappeared after visiting several Broadway bars with his fraternity brothers.
According to Luke’s 32 Bridge, the 22-year-old was asked to leave the venue for conduct violations on Friday night, March 8. The student told one of his fraternity brothers that he was going to return to their hotel, but the following morning he was nowhere to be found. A member of his fraternity reported that he was missing the following morning.
RELATED: LUKE BRYAN’S BAR SAYS RILEY STRAIN WAS ONLY SERVED ONE DRINK AHEAD OF DISAPPEARANCE
As news spread of Riley’s disappearance, community members, authorities and volunteers launched a massive search. Local businesses released security camera footage that showed Strain stumbling through downtown Nashville, obviously struggling to find his balance and seemingly disoriented.
Two weeks after he was last seen, Riley Strain’s body was pulled from the Cumberland River, roughly eight miles from downtown Nashville. The discovery 0f his body led to more questions than answers as he was found without his boots, pants, belt and wallet. An initial autopsy revealed no signs of foul play in Strain’s death, but his parents requested a second autopsy in hopes of getting more answers.
While the family awaits full autopsy and toxicology reports, they are still seeking answers and the most likely sources of information aren’t talking.
Ryan Gilbert, Riley Strain’s father, sat down with NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” Friday (April 5) and revealed some startling information.
According to Gilbert, none of Riley’s fraternity brothers have reached out to the family following Riley’s disappearance and death.
“We haven’t spoke with them. We haven’t really heard that much from them. They’re the ones that was with Riley that night, the last night he was with us. There’s a lot of things we’d like to find out from them,” Gilbert said.
Vargas, clearly stunned by the revelation, pushed Gilbert for more information by asking, “They haven’t made any effort to reach out to you?”
Gilbert confirmed that they hadn’t spoken with Riley’s fraternity brothers.
“If I was in their situation I’d be beating those parents’ doors to tell them everything I could and be helpful in any way that I could,” Gilbert said.
Watch Ryan Gilbert’s full interview with Elizabeth Vargas in the video below.
