Found Deceased TN - Riley Strain, 22, missing from a bar, Nashville, 8 March 2024

[PommyMommy]

I wanted to post a question but I'm going to reference the official for a question....is this appropriate? The time frame and locations of pings referenced.

This article has a pretty good timeline.

Timeline: The disappearance of Missouri student Riley Strain, what we know so far

For nearly a week, there have been no signs of 22-year-old University of Missouri student Riley Strain.

fox2now.com

 

[swanniee11]

My heart breaks for this family. They need answers/some form of closure/SOMETHING! IMO

 

[caradana]

A few thoughts, all MOO
1. The quality of responses, tenaciousness, and togetherness of this family in getting the message out regarding their son is admirable. I don’t see anyone asking “if Riley had been a white girl, would he be getting more coverage?” He’s getting max coverage despite being an adult male in large part because the family is coming at this directly, consistently and accessibly to the media. I pray he is found alive but regardless of outcome there are some important aspects of this case that could be helpful to families in future cases, and
2. I don’t see a lot of young twentysomething men 6’5”+ surrounded by other college-age males who get randomly roofied in city bars with no apparent motive. Virtually any other intoxicated male in that bar would’ve been a more attractive robbery target;
3. The bar hasn’t said it, because it’d read as disparaging the victim and it’s immaterial to finding him, but as a woman who spent four years in college bars with free beer (yup) and another 20 in NYC music venues and clubs, I feel like I can reasonably say that swaying, falling, slurring, spilling drinks, knocking things over are conduct policy-based reasons to escort a patron to the front entrance for the night. I am reasonably confident that they have video of the events that led to the conduct exit, that LE is in possession of it and that the angels of better nature of all close to this case are preventing unnecessary hits to this man’s permanent online reputation;
4. Has anyone yet seen an analysis of the water current direction and speed for the river? I’m curious, mathematically, what downstream locations might be in scope for a search.

 

[gitana1]

But what if they are all high and intoxicated, what happens then? Do people assign a sober person to babysit a group of individuals who have consumed tons of alcohol? Logistics would suggest it doesn't work. It would be like herding cats.

I wonder about the legal drinking age sometimes and how it seems to coincide with a time in a young adult's life where they are officially independent, away from home in new setting, meeting new people and everything feels exciting and new. Up until they turn 21 it's illegal to drink so it stand to reason that the time they've officially become an adult is the time they also overindulge.

Yes and it would open them up to even more liability: “You didn’t keep them there long enough.” “You fed them something they’re allergic to.” You left them alone for a moment and one harmed the other.” Etc.
A drunk tank at a large bar isn’t feasible IMO.
But making sure there are tasty, small bites at affordable prices could help. I see fewer drunks in places like Spain where all bars have tapas.

 

[OceanElix]

Yes and it would open them up to even more liability: “You didn’t keep them there long enough.” “You fed them something they’re allergic to.” You left them alone for a moment and one harmed the other.” Etc.
A drunk tank at a large bar isn’t feasible IMO.
But making sure there are tasty, small bites at affordable prices could help. I see fewer drunks in places like Spain where all bars have tapas.

I don't think it's the tapas in Spain, I think it's their attitudes towards drinking. The drinking culture is different IMO
In the UK too, many regularly go out to get completely wrecked, over going out for a drink or two and a bite to eat.

 

[Hanoi2009]

Yes and it would open them up to even more liability: “You didn’t keep them there long enough.” “You fed them something they’re allergic to.” You left them alone for a moment and one harmed the other.” Etc.
A drunk tank at a large bar isn’t feasible IMO.
But making sure there are tasty, small bites at affordable prices could help. I see fewer drunks in places like Spain where all bars have tapas.

I don't think it's the tapas in Spain, I think it's their attitudes towards drinking. The drinking culture is different IMO
In the UK too, many regularly go out to get completely wrecked, over going out for a drink or two and a bite to eat.

I lived in Ireland while I was finishing college from the U.S. Some definitely do get blackout drunk, but they all start drinking at a younger age. It’s a cultural thing for them to drink alcohol/wine with meals from a younger age, so many get it out of their systems a bit. That cultural practice- along with tougher drunk driving laws- helps with their DUI situations. In the U.S., we learn to drive five years before we can legally drink, so we erroneously believe we can drive after drinking because we’ve been driving for a while. Because they’ve had four or five years of drinking before they can (or do) drive, their perspective is different and there are fewer DUIs.

 

[SMK777]

It’s now almost 10 days since Riley went missing. As with the case of Sebastian Rogers, the initial hope that the person can be found safe dissipates as the days go by. I was hoping for a happy outcome in both cases, but it’s not looking likely at all for either of them at this point.

 

[Tamalita]

I could certainly see them wanting his ATM cards and phone. But what would be the point of hurting a big guy like that, unless he maybe really resisted?

Well, Riley was obviously impaired and very vulnerable. Homeless people are desperate and will do anything for money. Where I live, a police officer was called to a trespassing call and ended up stabbed by the homeless guy there and he died. First officer on-duty death ever for my city in NM. I feel Riley made a terrible mistake walking thru the homeless camp. JMO.

 

[SMK777]

Well, Riley was obviously impaired and very vulnerable. Homeless people are desperate and will do anything for money. Where I live, a police officer was called to a trespassing call and ended up stabbed by the homeless guy there and he died. First officer on-duty death ever for my city in NM. I feel Riley made a terrible mistake walking thru the homeless camp. JMO.

That’s extremely disturbing. He obviously was unable to find his hotel.

 

[CuriousCricket]

I sincerely hope that Riley Strain is found and is able to be safely reunited with his family, friends and loved ones.

I was also thinking perhaps checking any abandoned or unlocked cars or vehicles nearby and any pipes that drain sewage systems that were large enough for him to huddle into in case he sought shelter in one them out of desperation to escape the cold, or to help to seek shelter as he battled exhaustion or confusion in his inebriated state.

Like you, I've wondered if he sought shelter. I thought one of the construction sites, but crews would have found him.

He could have looked for somewhere to shelter along the river (I know they've been searching the banks too). We know he appeared to hit his head quite hard, so I wonder if the blow was hard enough that he died from it hours later -- somewhere he'd hidden and laid down to sleep.

 

[SMK777]

Like you, I've wondered if he sought shelter. I thought one of the construction sites, but crews would have found him.

He could have looked for somewhere to shelter along the river (I know they've been searching the banks too). We know he appeared to hit his head quite hard, so I wonder if the blow was hard enough that he died from it hours later -- somewhere he'd hidden and laid down to sleep.

Yes, the footage of him running and falling and banging his head was very disconcerting. You have to wonder if he got a concussion from such a hard blow, poor kid.

 

[CuriousCricket]

The bar said this wasn't true, and that this friend decided to stay at that point. Whether or not he stayed to simply pay his tab, it doesn't appear the search for Riley began until the following morning, when they realized he hadn't made it back to the hotel.

While that may not be the bar's policy, don't you think it's possible various servers/bouncers/staff members may have their own way of doing things? Or expressed something in such a way that the friend thought that?

 

[KMouse]

I find it interesting that the bar's issued statement says that Riley was served one drink and then two waters. Did he cut himself off of the booze or did the bar tell him he has had enough and gave him water instead. Would somebody at that level of inebriation suddenly realize they need to stop drinking and drink water?

 

[diggndeeperstill]

'We heard a commotion. He almost fell over': Man on seeing Riley Strain on last known path

Fox 17 News spoke exclusively on camera to one of the last people who potentially saw Strain before his trail stops, in the area by Gay Street.

fox17.com

"We looked back up. He almost fell over. The last bush right there caught him... He was very, very, very intoxicated... I never seen anybody stumble that hard before."

He said he didn't head closer to the street to check on Strain, since someone else was already there.

"I yelled up. They said, ‘He’s just drunk. He’s okay.’

The man said he reported the entire encounter to detectives and Strain's family.

……

Much more at article.

 

[Tamalita]

'We heard a commotion. He almost fell over': Man on seeing Riley Strain on last known path

Fox 17 News spoke exclusively on camera to one of the last people who potentially saw Strain before his trail stops, in the area by Gay Street.

fox17.com

"We looked back up. He almost fell over. The last bush right there caught him... He was very, very, very intoxicated... I never seen anybody stumble that hard before."

He said he didn't head closer to the street to check on Strain, since someone else was already there.

"I yelled up. They said, ‘He’s just drunk. He’s okay.’

The man said he reported the entire encounter to detectives and Strain's family.

……

Much more at article.

I just read this article before you posted it. I'm new on here and have no clue how to post articles so thanks for doing it!

 

[MassGuy]

While that may not be the bar's policy, don't you think it's possible various servers/bouncers/staff members may have their own way of doing things? Or expressed something in such a way that the friend thought that?

I don’t. It means absolutely nothing to a bar employee whether someone stays, especially when you’re talking about one that size. I can see them wanting someone to leave, but not the other way around.

What seals this however, is that if this friend paid his tab and then went after Riley, then they’d know he didn’t make it back to the hotel before they did, which was something like 16 hours later.

This second hand account didn’t pass the sniff test for me the second we heard it, and based on the bars account and the 911 call, it can’t possibly be true.

I do understand why that friend would make that claim though.

 

[skylaker]

There's too many things we just don't know. Very odd situation with the fraternity brothers telling half truths and mistruths about the situation at the bar that night. Hopefully they're properly investigated. Are any of the fraternity brothers helping in the search for him or did they all leave and go back home?

 

[ILoveNY607]

I don’t. It means absolutely nothing to a bar employee whether someone stays, especially when you’re talking about one that size. I can see them wanting someone to leave, but not the other way around.

What seals this however, is that if this friend paid his tab and then went after Riley, then they’d know he didn’t make it back to the hotel before they did, which was something like 16 hours later.

This second hand account didn’t pass the sniff test for me the second we heard it, and based on the bars account and the 911 call, it can’t possibly be true.

I do understand why that friend would make that claim though.

Tbh- I’ve not seen where the friends were quoted saying they had to stay for the tab. I did read the step-father saying he thought that was the reason. I think some things like the tab and the back door were possibly conjecture/assumptions early on that were just shared as fact as they were related by others. IMO.

 

[PommyMommy]

'We heard a commotion. He almost fell over': Man on seeing Riley Strain on last known path

Fox 17 News spoke exclusively on camera to one of the last people who potentially saw Strain before his trail stops, in the area by Gay Street.

fox17.com

"We looked back up. He almost fell over. The last bush right there caught him... He was very, very, very intoxicated... I never seen anybody stumble that hard before."

He said he didn't head closer to the street to check on Strain, since someone else was already there.

"I yelled up. They said, ‘He’s just drunk. He’s okay.’

The man said he reported the entire encounter to detectives and Strain's family.

……

Much more at article.

I'm still curious why they aren't releasing the last known video.

From the article:

Surveillance video last captures Strain on Gay Street near the James Robertson Bridge, according to Metro Police. However, investigators have not released that specific video to the public.

And:

He said Strain continued in the same direction up First Avenue. However, that's where Strain's trail stops. No other footage or cell phone activity go beyond that point, circa 10 p.m.

Other security footage just a block up, from the Justice A. A. Birch Building, doesn't appear to show Strain pass by, according to his family.

A previous article:

MAR 14, 2024

Nashville police: no indication of foul play in Riley Strain case

Nashville police gave an update Thursday on missing Mizzou student Riley Strain.

www.komu.com

The latest surveillance video that police are reviewing reportedly shows Strain walking north on Gay Street in between the Woodland Street Bridge and James Robertson Parkway Bridge, Nielsen said. Strain's family told KOMU 8 that the video captures Strain walking at 9:52 p.m. Friday. KOMU 8 has not seen the new surveillance video that police and Strain's family referenced.

 

[CuriousCricket]

I'm still curious why they aren't releasing the last known video.

From the article:

Surveillance video last captures Strain on Gay Street near the James Robertson Bridge, according to Metro Police. However, investigators have not released that specific video to the public.

And:

He said Strain continued in the same direction up First Avenue. However, that's where Strain's trail stops. No other footage or cell phone activity go beyond that point, circa 10 p.m.

Other security footage just a block up, from the Justice A. A. Birch Building, doesn't appear to show Strain pass by, according to his family.

A previous article:

MAR 14, 2024

Nashville police: no indication of foul play in Riley Strain case

Nashville police gave an update Thursday on missing Mizzou student Riley Strain.

www.komu.com

The latest surveillance video that police are reviewing reportedly shows Strain walking north on Gay Street in between the Woodland Street Bridge and James Robertson Parkway Bridge, Nielsen said. Strain's family told KOMU 8 that the video captures Strain walking at 9:52 p.m. Friday. KOMU 8 has not seen the new surveillance video that police and Strain's family referenced.

Am I reading this correctly: They know within a block where to look?