Riley Strain and his fellow Delta Chi fraternity brothers arrived in Nashville TN on Friday, March 8, 2024 to attend a Spring formal. The group left Columbia MO, where Riley is a senior year student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, by bus.
The group checked into Nashville’s Tempo Hotel. There, the group readied for a night on the town enjoying some of Nashville’s downtown scene.
It is unknown if the group drank alcoholic beverages on the 6.5 hour bus ride or if they barhopped around Nashville prior to a stop at Luke’s 32 Bridge. What we do know is that 22 yr old Riley Strain was escorted out of a side door, by bar security, at 9:35pm.
Strain, told he was over-served, was asked to leave the bar. He and an unnamed friend were leaving together when the friend turned back to allegedly pay Strain’s bar tab. Allegedly, Strain asked if he could wait by the door until his friend paid the tab and joined him. According to the friend, after paying the tab he looked outside and did not see Strain. He then rejoined the group back in the bar.
Luke’s 32 Bridge has stated that Strain was only served one alcoholic beverage and two glasses of water. It is unknown if he was served alcoholic drinks by friends at the bar or what his state of intoxication was when he arrived at the bar.
Strain’s friend made contact with Stain in which he was told that Strain was heading back to the hotel which was a short distance from the bar. When, in fact, Strain had made a wrong turn and was walking away from the bar.
When the friends arrived back to the Tempo Hotel they did not see Strain. After several attempts to contact Strain, the group called 911 to make a report about their missing friend.
Unbeknownst to his friends, a heavily intoxicated Strain was making his way down Church Street toward the Cumberland River. Surveillance video shows what appears to be a heavily intoxicated Strain running, then falling and taking a few moments to stand back up. Another video showing him walking slower and leaning into a wall for support.
He can be seen texting his girlfriend as he makes his way down the street.
Strain then made his way to Gay St where he is seen on surveillance video talking to others that walked alongside of him, stumbling, then making a full turn before walking out of view, still seemingly texting his girlfriend.
Likely not familiar with Nashville, Strain did not know that he was walking into an area of homeless camps setup along the Cumberland River.
Strain is believed to have continued down Gay St and came into contact with some of the area’s homeless population. One homeless man later contacted police and Riley’s family stating that he heard a commotion, looked up to see Strain stumble into a bush and see that Strain was being assisted by an unknown male. Upon yelling over to ask what was taking place, the unknown male told him that Strain was just drunk and was ok.
After this encounter, Strain was then seen one last time by surveillance video. Although not released publicly, the last video police have of Strain is from 9:52pm in which he is seen walking north between the James Robertson Parkway and Woodland Street Bridge. Allegedly, Strain enters this wooded area and never returns.
This area is a very steep embankment that leads to the Cumberland River. It is often used by the homeless.
It is unknown if Strain entered this area alone or was accompanied by another person or persons.
The area between the two bridges has become the focal point of the investigation.
Strain’s last ping took place here. As investigators searched the area where Strain was last seen, his cell phone was discovered in this area near the river. On Sunday, March 17, Strain’s credit card was found here during a volunteer search.
It has since been revealed that a homeless man found Strain’s unique shirt in this area, hanging on a pole, with vomit stains on the shirt.
Allegedly, Strain communicated with his girlfriend by text up until his last known ping. Those messages are said to have been normal text messages up until the last message. The last text was unintelligible. Then the phone either exhausted its battery or was turned off.
What happened to Riley Strain? Did he mistakenly stumble down the embankment into the river? If so, then why was his phone on the embankment? Why was his phone turned off? Why was his vomit stained shirt hanging on a pole? Why was his credit card tossed onto the ground?
It is possible that his credit card was in his pocket and not in his wallet. It could have fallen out of his pocket as he fell down the embankment. He may have dropped his phone and it broke, turning it off.
When was his credit card left in this area? Search teams with and without dogs covered this area extensively. Did they miss it?
If he was lost, why didn’t he use his GPS to find his way back?
Was Riley Strain drugged? Was he targeted by someone?
Why are police searching for this man? The BOLO was issued just days after Strain’s disappearance. Is it merely coincidence?
What happened to Riley Strain?
If you have any information about the disappearance of Riley Strain, contact the Nashville Police Department. Any information could be the key to finding Riley.
In the meantime, pray for Riley’s family as they endure the most difficult days any parent can fathom. Riley is out there and he needs to be returned home.
Truth Tellers 
Now we know that the last text to Riley’s girlfriend said: good lops
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