Before his disappearance, Strain, a University of Missouri student, traveled to Tennessee with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers for the group’s yearly spring formal, Christopher Whited, Strain’s stepfather, previously affirmed.
Sometime before 8 p.m. on the night he went missing, Strain FaceTimed his mother from a different bar, according to Whiteid. He added that the family didn’t realize anything was wrong until his wife got a call from his fraternity brothers the following morning.
“I was literally getting ready to tee off on the golf course when my wife called me, and I turned around, went and loaded all my stuff off the golf cart, and told my friend that I was sorry I had to leave,” Whiteid added.
Authorities shared surveillance footage on March 12 of Strain appearing to stumble as he was crossing a street. A local smoke and vape shop’s surveillance footage, shared with local TV station WZTV, showed Strain on another street on that March 8 evening.
Two weeks later, on March 22, the Nashville Police Department announced that Strain’s body was recovered from the Cumberland River, about 8 miles from downtown Nashville.
“No foul play-related trauma was observed. An autopsy is pending,” the police said in a statement posted on X. at the time.
The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) earlier said that it was looking into whether Strain was overserved before he was removed from Bryan’s bar restaurant.
“There are no specific rules or statutes that governs escorting out intoxicated patrons from their businesses or providing assistance in getting someone home,” said TABC communication director Aaron Rummage in a March 15 email to PEOPLE. “However, state law prohibits serving alcoholic beverages to someone who is visibly intoxicated. A violation is a class A misdemeanor. The TABC has opened an investigation into this matter to see if any violations have occurred.”
In a statement shared with PEOPLE at the time of Strain’s disappearance, the TC Restaurant Group, which oversees Bryan’s establishment, Luke’s 32 Bridge, wrote: “During Riley’s visit to Luke’s 32 Bridge, our records show he purchased and was served one alcoholic drink and two waters. 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 company’s statement added. “The individual with Riley did not exit and returned upstairs.”
During a press conference on the same day Strain’s body was found, his family thanked everyone who assisted in the two-week search.
“We’re quite thankful for everything that you’ve done for our family,” said the boy’s stepfather. “The grace that you’ve given us, it means a lot, more than you’ll ever know.”
“I just ask that you mommas out there hug your babies tight tonight, please,” added mom Michelle Whiteid. “Please, for me.”
Nearly two months later, Strain’s parents and stepparents accepted his diploma from the University of Missouri.
Strain’s name was the first to be announced at the ceremony on May 11, as the other graduating students and members of the audience stood up to applaud and cheer. His family was visibly moved as they embraced school administrators on stage and held up Strain’s diploma.
