The search for University of Missouri student Riley Strain has ended tragically.
The 22-year-old's remains were located March 22 in a river in Nashville, police said, two weeks after he went missing after he was asked to leave country star Luke Bryan's bar in the city during a night out with friends.
"The body of Riley Strain was recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville this morning, approximately 8 miles from downtown," read a post shared on the Metro Nashville Police Department's X page that day. "No foul play-related trauma was observed. An autopsy is pending."
One of Strain's friends had reported him missing to police March 9, according to local news outlet WKRN-TV. He was last seen publicly a day earlier, out with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers in Nashville. During a visit to Bryan's 32 Bridge Food + Drink, Strain was asked to leave the venue and was escorted out.
"During Riley's visit to Luke's 32 Bridge, our records show he purchased and was served one alcoholic drink and two waters," the TC Restaurant Group, which oversees Luke's bar, said in a statement March 15. "At 9:35 p.m., our security team made a decision based on our conduct standards to escort him from the venue through our Broadway exit at the front of our building. He was followed down the stairs with one member of his party. The individual with Riley did not exit and returned upstairs."
On March 12, police released surveillance video of Strain stumbling while crossing a street not far from the river and 12 minutes after leaving the venue.
Strain's family tracked his last cellphone location to Gay Street and James Robertson Parkway, less than a mile from Bryan's bar, WKRN-TV reported. On March 15, police said they found Strain's bank card at an "embankment between Gay Street and the Cumberland River," In a March 19 press conference, a Nashville detective said the card was the "only physical evidence" investigators had in the case.
Strain is survived by his family, including mother Michelle Whiteid, stepfather Chris Whiteid, father Robert Gilbert and stepmother Milli Gilbert.
To revisit Riley's disappearance case, keep reading...
Riley Strain Case
University of Missouri student Riley Strain was reported missing March 9 after being asked to leave country singer Luke Bryan's Nashville bar during a night out with friends.
After a two-week search, police confirmed March 22 that the 22-year-old's body was recovered from the Cumberland River.
"No foul play-related trauma was observed," Metro Nashville PD wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter March 22. "An autopsy is pending."
"During Riley's visit to Luke's 32 Bridge, our records show he purchased and was served one alcoholic drink and two waters," the TC Restaurant Group, which oversees Luke's bar, said in a March 15 statement. "At 9:35 p.m., our security team made a decision based on our conduct standards to escort him from the venue through our Broadway exit at the front of our building. He was followed down the stairs with one member of his party. The individual with Riley did not exit and returned upstairs."
Riley's mom, Michelle Whiteid, said of her son in a March 19 press conference, "He's everything."
Michelle added that Riley's friends, who he was visiting Nashville with, are "heartbroken."
"He's their best friend," she said. "We love these boys like our own. It's just as hard on them as it is on us."