Featured Image Credit: X/@MNPDNashville
Topics: Crime, True Crime, US News, News
Rhianna Benson
The body of 22-year-old University of Missouri student Riley Strain, who disappeared on 8 March, has been recovered from a river in Nashville, police have confirmed.
Riley had spent the evening partying with friends in the Tennessee city, where he was reportedly asked to leave a bar due to their 'conduct standards'.
The group of fraternity brothers had visited the famous 32 Bridge bar - owned by American Idol judge Luke Bryan - before Riley was removed from the premises.
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The group - which also included Riley's fraternity brothers - had been celebrating their formal before being kicked out of the drinking establishment, where bank transactions studied after his disappearance indicate he only purchased one alcoholic drink and two waters.
CCTV footage later showed the student stumbling down a nearby street on his own at around 9.47pm, before merging with a group of fellow drinkers a minute later, where he was seen checking his phone.
Riley then bumped into police officer Reginald Young, who'd been called out to investigate a vehicle burglary in the local area, and asked the young student how he was feeling.
"Good, how about you?" he was heard replying on body cam footage, before the officer then continued searching cars in the local area.
Yesterday, after further footage of Riley's disappearance was released by police to Riley's family, his loved ones released a statement, explaining that the latest find had 'shortened' the window of time he is said to have disappeared in.
On the Sunday - two days after he was declared missing - his bank card was discovered on the embankment of the Cumberland River.
And after being spotted on the CCTV footage and bodycam prior to his disappearance,Metropolitan Nashville Police announced today that his body was found in the same river on Friday morning (22 March).
"The body of Riley Strain was recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville this morning, approximately 8 miles from downtown," the department wrote on X.
"No foul play-related trauma was observed. An autopsy is pending."
Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake later revealed during a press conference that they'd received a call around 7:28 a.m. from a worker at a nearby business, claiming they'd discovered Strain's body after removing an object from the river.
With authorities having identified him from his clothes and other objects found on his person, Drake said the family had been notified.
"I want to say to the family, my heart and prayers go out to you all for this very unfortunate and tragic incident," he said.
"I also want to say thank you to the Nashville community and the outpouring community of the outpouring support from the community in trying to help us locate Mr. Strain."