College Student Riley Strain Missing

Details About the Disappearance of University of Missouri Student

Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash

22-year-old Riley Strain, student at the University of Missouri, went missing in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday, March 9, 2024.

Strain and his fraternity brothers were on a weekend trip in downtown Nashville when he got kicked out of Luke’s 32 Bridge bar and restaurant based on their “conduct standards” for drinking. Strain was last seen on Mar. 9 leaving the bar alone after getting kicked out by security around 9:30 p.m. Since then, he has not been seen or heard from, and his family and friends’ efforts to reach out to him have been unsuccessful.

“It [the case] was just disturbing,” junior Sebastian Aleksander said. “With drinking you’ve got to know where to stop because then you put your own safety at risk.”

The security team at the bar, which was owned by popular country singer Luke Bryan, made the decision to escort Strain out of the establishment around 9:30 p.m. but no other details about his demeanor or behavior has been released. One of his friends was seen walking him to the door, but Strain left the establishment and proceeded to walk home alone. After leaving, Strain was seen for the last time at 9:52 p.m. on March 9. Strain was said to only have ordered one alcoholic drink and two waters while he was at Luke’s 32 Bridge, but had come from two previous bars.

Recent information has come out about Strain’s last interaction before he went missing with Metro Nashville Police Officer Reginald Young. Body camera footage has been released of Strain having a coherent and calm conversation with Young in which he did not express any fear for his safety or wellbeing after leaving the bar.

“You need to know your surroundings,” senior Rich Smith said. “You need to make sure you’re safe. Make sure you’re around a good group of friends that you trust because you never know what can happen.” 

Since his disappearance, MNPD has begun searching a nearby riverbank next to where Strain’s bank card was recovered after he went missing. As well as his card, Verizon located Strain’s iPhone’s last known location a mile away from the same river.

Strain’s parents are continuing to search for their son and stay confident that they will find him.

“This case is getting a lot of information brought in, and it is taxing on them,” Strain’s stepfather Chris Whiteid said in an interview with NBC News. “But it’s also taxing on us, not getting more updates of what’s going on.” 

Strain is described as 6’5” with a thin build, blue eyes and light brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black and white collared shirt, blue jeans and brown shoes. Any information has been asked to be sent to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. 

“We’re very hopeful and we’re moving forward as, you know, he’s coming home and we’re graduating in May and life goes on just as normal.” Whiteid said.