University of Missouri student Riley Strain has been missing since 8 March.
The 22-year-old was partying with his fraternity brothers in Nashville when he was kicked out of a bar and became separated from his friends.
After a fruitless search, the friends reported Mr Strain missing, kicking off over a week-long search for the college student.
Police have found no evidence of foul play in Mr Strain’s disappearance. Ground and air search efforts are ongoing. A police helicopter searched the immediate area around downtown Nashville, including a river bank where Mr Strain wandered near. Investigators using boats on the Cumberland River have found no trace of Mr Strain.
Mr Riley’s parents have joined his friends and police in Nashville to search for the young man. “This is definitely the worst nightmare,” Mr Strain’s stepfather, Chris Whiteild, told News 2. “For him to go this long without talking is not normal by any means.”
Although officials were investigating whether the college senior had been overserved, the bar owners later said he was only served one alcoholic drink and two waters before being kicked out.
On 17 March, after days with little updates, his bank card was found near the river.
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Harrowing 911 call reveals moment anxious friends report Missouri student Riley Strain missing
New audio has revealed the frantic 911 call the friends of University of Missouri student Riley Strain made as they called police to report him missing, nearly 16 hours after he was seen on surveillance video walking alone in downtown Nashville.
The 22-year-old, who had been partying with his fraternity brothers in Nashville, was kicked out of a bar and became separated from his friends.
His friends said they tried to call him repeatedly on Friday night and on Saturday morning, but the calls kept going to voicemail. READ MORE:
Graig Graziosi18 March 2024 20:00
Police video: Office has short encounter with Riley Strain after he was kicked out of Nashville bar
A metropolitan police officer had a breif encounter with Riley Strain on the night the University of Missouri student went missing.
Bodycam footage released by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department shows an officer on Gay Street looking around a car with his flashlight.
When he turns, he sees a young man walking alone on the sidewalk. He greets him, and asks the young man how he’s doing.
“I’m good, how are you?” Mr Strain replies. He continues walking down the sidewalk, away from the officer.
Graig Graziosi18 March 2024 19:01
Images from spot where Riley Strain’s bank card was found
Local reporters from WKRN 2 visited the embankment where two women who have been following the disappearance of Riley Strain found his bank card.
The women were documenting their search efforts on TikTok when they made the discovery.
Graig Graziosi18 March 2024 17:36
Riley Strain’s parents say they have not given up hope of finding him
The parents of University of Missouri student Riley Strain said they will “continue to search” after more than a week has passed since the college senior vanished.
Mr Strain was last seen on 8 March when he went to Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink bar in Nashville as part of a fraternity trip but was asked to leave the nightspot.
“We’re still, you know, actively planning to bring Riley home with us,” Chris Whiteid, Mr Strain’s stepfather told NBC News on 16 March.
This case has been “taxing” due to them “not getting more updates of what’s going on,” Mr Whiteid said. Still, “we continue to search,” added Mr Whiteid.
Rachel Sharp18 March 2024 16:00
LISTEN: Audio recording of 911 call placed by missing Mizzou student’s friend
Rachel Sharp18 March 2024 15:00
A message from the bar owners
Kelly Rissman18 March 2024 14:00
Body spotted in river amid search for missing student
A body was spotted floating in a river amid the search for missing student Riley Strain.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reported at around 1pm on Sunday that a body was seen in the Cumberland River close to the Martin Luther King Bridge.
Search crews arrived on the scene.
However, the Nashville Fire Department (NFD) said that the body did not match the description of Strain – and was wearing a maroon-coloured shirt.
Strain’s family also said the body is not that of the missing student, WSMV reported.
Rachel Sharp18 March 2024 13:00
Riley Strain’s bank card found near Tennessee river
The bank card of missing University of Missouri student Riley Strain was recovered near the Cumberland River in Nashville more than one week after the college senior vanished.
“Riley Strain’s bank card was discovered this afternoon on the embankment between Gay St. And the Cumberland River,” Metro Nashville Police Department wrote on X on the afternoon of 17 March.
“The search for him continues,” authorities added.
Mr Strain, 22, was last seen at a bar in Nashville — as part of a trip with his fraternity — on 8 March.
Security asked him to leave, prompting a probe into whether he had been overserved. However, the bar owners on 15 March said that he had just been served one alcoholic drink and two waters before being escorted out.
“No members of Riley’s party were required to stay inside the venue to close any open tabs, and no one from Luke’s 32 Bridge team prevented anyone from Riley’s party from leaving the venue with him,” the owners wrote.
Kelly Rissman18 March 2024 12:00
What has the University of Missouri said?
While not a college-organised trip, Mizzou officials have said that they are working with Nashville authorities and Riley’s family.
“The safety of our community is our highest priority,” Angela King Taylor, interim vice chancellor for Student Affairs, said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with Riley’s family as the search continues. We will be offering any support to them that we can, and we encourage anyone who needs help to reach out to our counselling resources.”
Those resources are on offer at the college’s Wellness Resource Center and the Counseling Center within the Division of Student Affairs, as well as the Employee Assistance Program for faculty and staff.
Kelly Rissman18 March 2024 10:00
Riley Strain had only one alcoholic beverage before being kicked out of bar
Riley Strain, a University of Missouri who went missing after reportedly getting kicked out of a Nashville bar, was just served one drink before being escorted out, the bar owners said.
The 22-year-old student was partying with friends at Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink bar just before 10pm on 8 March.
The bar’s owner, TC Restaurant Group, said Mr Strain was served one alcoholic drink and two waters before he was asked to leave, debunking the theory that he had been overserved.
“No members of Riley’s party were required to stay inside the venue to close any open tabs, and no one from Luke’s 32 Bridge team prevented anyone from Riley’s party from leaving the venue with him,” the owners added.
Mr Strain and his fraternity brothers were reportedly on a trip to Nashville for a spring formal.
The news comes days after the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission announced on 13 March that it was looking into whether or not Mr Strain had been served alcohol while visibly intoxicated at the bar.
Kelly Rissman18 March 2024 08:00