Nashville, Tennessee – In a heartwrenching turn of events, authorities confirmed on Friday the discovery of the body of Riley Strain, a University of Missouri senior who had been missing since March 8th after a night out in downtown Nashville.
The somber news came as police recovered Strain’s remains from the waters of the Cumberland River in West Nashville, approximately 8 miles from the bustling downtown area. Speaking at a press conference on Friday morning, Metro Nashville Police Department Chief John Drake revealed that the recovery was made after a diligent search effort by river workers.
“This morning, around 7:28 a.m., we received a call from a worker on 61st Avenue, at a company that adjourns the Cumberland River, that had been searching for anything that would pop up on the river, especially looking for Riley Strain,” Chief Drake solemnly announced. “As they were removing an object from the river, they noticed what appeared to be Riley Strain.”
According to reports from Fox News, authorities indicated that no signs of foul play-related trauma were initially observed, yet an autopsy is pending to ascertain the cause of Strain’s untimely demise. The news brings a tragic conclusion to the extensive search efforts and prayers for the safe return of the missing student.
Fox News reports the 22-year-old finance student was visiting Nashville for his fraternity’s spring formal trip when he vanished. He had been out on Broadway drinking with friends at Luke Bryan’s downtown bar, called Luke’s 32, when staff asked him to leave.
After leaving the bar, Strain told his friends that he would head back to their accommodations at Tempo by Hilton, which is about five blocks away from Luke’s 32, as FOX 17 first reported.
When his friends did not see him again at their hotel later that evening, they filed a missing persons report, Strain’s cousin, Chelsea Strain, previously told Fox News Digital.
Strain’s family flew to Nashville and became involved in the search immediately after his friends reported him missing.
