Found Deceased TN - Riley Strain, 22, missing after leaving bar, Nashville, 8 March 2024 #3

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Some notes:

The mechanisms of dry drowning are explained. Basically it’s a process of exclusion.

Joseph Scott Morgan says that the current explains the boots being gone. Has a harder time with the jeans, and wants to know if he was wearing a belt.

Very curious about toxicology.

Debris and obstacles can remove clothes, prior to bloating.

Family feels frustrated because it’s been closed prior to toxicology.

Eye fluid is great for toxicology, and it’s always good to get a second opinion.
 
Last edited:

Some notes:

The mechanisms of dry drowning are explained. Basically it’s a process of exclusion.

Joseph Scott Morgan says that the current explains the boots being gone. Has a harder time with the jeans, and wants to know if he was wearing a belt.

Very curious about toxicology.

Debris and obstacles can remove clothes, prior to bloating.

Family feels frustrated because it’s been closed prior to toxicology.

Eye fluid is great for toxicology, and it’s always good to get a second opinion.
I’ve suspected all along , that there was some criminal conduct going in with his disappearance. But I got the impression that no one agreed with me, so I let it go. Someone, IMO, took advantage of this poor young man. And honestly, there’s no way they should have expelled him from that bar, without some kind of help. In all honesty…. They were all drunk when they got there. So, why was he singled out? That’s my biggest question.
Yeah, go ahead…. Leave it with the other frat boys,who are also immature and extremely intoxicated?
Just like a lot of cases I follow. Like my DH says, I am really perceptive about things. No, not bragging. Because it’s not necessarily a good thing, believe. Some things I would rather not know.
 
I’ve suspected all along , that there was some criminal conduct going in with his disappearance. But I got the impression that no one agreed with me, so I let it go. Someone, IMO, took advantage of this poor young man. And honestly, there’s no way they should have expelled him from that bar, without some kind of help. In all honesty…. They were all drunk when they got there. So, why was he singled out? That’s my biggest question.
Yeah, go ahead…. Leave it with the other frat boys,who are also immature and extremely intoxicated?
Just like a lot of cases I follow. Like my DH says, I am really perceptive about things. No, not bragging. Because it’s not necessarily a good thing, believe. Some things I would rather not know.
There’s still no evidence of criminal conduct, nothing has changed. Not with the first autopsy, and not with the second. The point here is about covering your bases, which should always be done, no matter how strong the evidence is.

No motive, no signs of violence, and curious things that have an explanation.

That family friend indicated that Riley did something that got him thrown out, even though he characterized his intent as trying to be helpful. He didn’t raise issue with the fact that he should have been thrown out though.

So he was singled out for something that he did, whatever it was.
 
Plus there's the Apple watch and phone data showing they all cut out around the same time, I believe. If someone hurt him, stole his boots and phone to sell them (who would want his pants if they weren't also the same height?), didn't see his watch and then just threw him over the edge, I would think the phone data would have stopped earlier than the watch did.
 
There’s still no evidence of criminal conduct, nothing has changed. Not with the first autopsy, and not with the second. The point here is about covering your bases, which should always be done, no matter how strong the evidence is.

No motive, no signs of violence, and curious things that have an explanation.

That family friend indicated that Riley did something that got him thrown out, even though he characterized his intent as trying to be helpful. He didn’t raise issue with the fact that he should have been thrown out though.

So he was singled out for something that he did, whatever it was.
I get it. I still believe it shouldn’t have happened. I think there had to be a HUGE reason, for a bar to throw him out. Is that a frequent thing? I mean. I’ve been to a lot of bars over the course of my many years on this earth, and I’ve only seen one person actually thrown out of a bar. It was probably about … oh, Lord… longer than I realized… 18 years ago.

It was a biker dude who assaulted someone right there in the piano bar, out of no where. The bouncer guy/ musician…. who afterwards, became our beloved friend…. a little guy too, but he was tough…. got him out of there, and he was banned for life.
I still can’t wrap my head around how a bar could /should have kicked him out. I need an explanation.
 

Tennessee Body Farm expert questions the state of Riley Strain when he was found

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nearly a week after learning their son died, Riley Strain's family ordered a second autopsy of their 22-year-old son.

The case remains open, and now the world-renowned expert in body decomposition questions what happened to Riley.

Riley was fully clothed in the security video the night he disappeared. But when he was pulled from the river two weeks later, I learned Riley didn't have pants on or his boots. From the waist down, only his boxer shorts and socks remained. However, police confirmed when his body was found that Riley had his shirt and Apple watch still on.

Watch me above talk about Riley's first autopsy report in the player above.

"It is unusual. Normally if you fall in the river, it's very difficult to get your pants off," said Dr. Bill Bass, who is the founder of the University of Tennessee's famed Body Farm and one of the foremost experts on body decomposition in the world.

I asked him about the missing pants and boots. Dr. Bass said it's possible, but unlikely they came off in the river current.

"No, they would not come off by themselves," Bass said.

He said debris could have snagged the clothing or he had another theory.

"I would say somebody took them off," Bass said. "If you do research on this, it would be very difficult because you've got to kill a person to do it, but it is difficult to get your pants off. It's difficult when you are alive to get your pants off."

I spoke with Riley’s stepdad Chris Whiteid, who says he didn't want to comment now about the second autopsy since the family is focused on Riley's funeral on Friday.

But he did say they have “big things to share” next week.


Investigators are still awaiting toxicology results from the autopsy.

 
I get it. I still believe it shouldn’t have happened. I think there had to be a HUGE reason, for a bar to throw him out. Is that a frequent thing? I mean. I’ve been to a lot of bars over the course of my many years on this earth, and I’ve only seen one person actually thrown out of a bar. It was probably about … oh, Lord… longer than I realized… 18 years ago.

It was a biker dude who assaulted someone right there in the piano bar, out of no where. The bouncer guy/ musician…. who afterwards, became our beloved friend…. a little guy too, but he was tough…. got him out of there, and he was banned for life.
I still can’t wrap my head around how a bar could /should have kicked him out. I need an explanation.
I think smaller bars may sometimes put up with a lot more than larger ones will. At a bar this size, and all things being equal, I’d expect multiple people to be thrown out every night.

Part of the concern is ensuring your patrons have a good time, and one really drunk person can really put a damper on that for a lot of other people. Especially when you’re talking about a mega bar with hundreds and hundreds of people coming through every weekend night.

No one wants someone bumping into them, throwing up, or acting out of control.

In Riley’s case, something apparently went on with a member or staff. That’s frequently a one way ticket to the street. There’s no reason to put up with that if you’re not hurting for business.
 
In 2002, Chris Jenkins was thrown out of a bar in Minneapolis MN. Apparently drunk also. His body was found months later in the nearby Mississippi river. LE all along said no foul play. They later ruled it a homicide.
Not all cases are just drunken accidents.
Hopefully the truth comes out…be it an accident or not.
 
In 2002, Chris Jenkins was thrown out of a bar in Minneapolis MN. Apparently drunk also. His body was found months later in the nearby Mississippi river. LE all along said no foul play. They later ruled it a homicide.
Not all cases are just drunken accidents.
Hopefully the truth comes out…be it an accident or not.

the 'truth' has already come out
LE said there was no foul play
two autopsies say the same
 
Let’s game this out.

Someone murders Riley, steals his boots and pants, but does so without committing an overt act of violence. Literally the perfect murder, as it’s fooled two experts.

Or, a drunk guy falls in a river, which is astoundingly common. And the tide results in his pants and boots falling off, of which there is precedent.

You think the former is the most likely?
@MassGuy: your point is compelling and is absolutely logical but how many Guys up no-eth, in Mass. wear Western boots? Have you ever tried to get them off?

I can’t imagine some perp actually stealing his boots and jeans but I can’t imagine the current taking Riley’s boots, nor him being able to get them off while trying to keep his head above water. MOO.

There will probably always be unanswered questions and things that don’t seem to line up that will stir in our minds for weeks after this. :(
 
Just a few thoughts ~ While I respect the forensic experts' opinions, we have now also seen some that contradict the others.

It is curious to me that the current could have ripped off his boots when your feet and legs form an angle, are not in one straight plane - 180 degrees - and cowboy boots are tough, hard, tight leather, and jeans when wet cling to your body, but his underwear and socks were still intact on his body? If you point your toes you could form a straight line with your shin and foot, but wearing a hard leather cowboy boot may prevent that sort of alignment. Why were his undies and socks still intact?

If you were being moved along with the current headfirst, I wouldn't think any pants would come off the body because the direction of the current would be coming from your feet toward your head, pushing shoes and pants closer to your head, not pulling them off.

If you were being moved with the current feet first, then I suppose pants or shoes could be come off with the force of the water, but if the body is moving at the same rate as your clothing, how could this occur?

It seems like the body would have to be snagged somewhere with the current pushing from head to feet, so as the water moved over the body, the head/upper body remained fixed so the current may remove anything loose in the lower half.

If a body fills with gases during decomposition could this have all occurred earlier? Maybe cold water temps caused the body to contract a bit, making it easier for these items to be pulled off due to the current?
 
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Some notes:

The mechanisms of dry drowning are explained. Basically it’s a process of exclusion.

Joseph Scott Morgan says that the current explains the boots being gone. Has a harder time with the jeans, and wants to know if he was wearing a belt.

Very curious about toxicology.

Debris and obstacles can remove clothes, prior to bloating.

Family feels frustrated because it’s been closed prior to toxicology.

Eye fluid is great for toxicology, and it’s always good to get a second opinion.

The video says the jeans were Buckle brand jeans. I note on Buckle's website that most of their jeans are labelled as being "stretch" jeans with lycra in the fabric. Most people might think of jeans as being made from tough denim, but if the denim has a lycra component it would potentially change how easily they could slide off the body.


ETA: I must admit to being confused about the underwear being intact.
 
do you think uber wants that legal responsibility?
Lol, that, and if you're an Uber driver, I can't imagine you'd knowingly give a ride to someone who had just been thrown out of a bar, presumably for drunkenness and perhaps, bad behavior. Plenty of other less risky fares that time of night.
 
do you think uber wants that legal responsibility?
Where I live (Las Vegas), if uber drivers refused to pick up intoxicated riders they would have virtually no business at all. I don't know what legal risk there is to driving around drunks, but I guess there could be legal risk in anything, even sober people are idiots. Obviously if the establishment deems them to be a threat LE should be giving the ride.
 
Good interviews here. The pathologist has a lot of experience with drowning deaths, and she too isn't bothered here. With no evidence of trauma, there's really nothing that points to foul play. Cuomo facetiously appologizes at the end for not feeding the speculation.
 

Some notes:

The mechanisms of dry drowning are explained. Basically it’s a process of exclusion.

Joseph Scott Morgan says that the current explains the boots being gone. Has a harder time with the jeans, and wants to know if he was wearing a belt.

Very curious about toxicology.

Debris and obstacles can remove clothes, prior to bloating.

Family feels frustrated because it’s been closed prior to toxicology.

Eye fluid is great for toxicology, and it’s always good to get a second opinion.
If he was peeing as suggested the pants would be gone easier.

Everything has a plausible explanation and people driving the point of foul play further is just cruel imo
 

Tennessee Body Farm expert questions the state of Riley Strain when he was found

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nearly a week after learning their son died, Riley Strain's family ordered a second autopsy of their 22-year-old son.

The case remains open, and now the world-renowned expert in body decomposition questions what happened to Riley.

Riley was fully clothed in the security video the night he disappeared. But when he was pulled from the river two weeks later, I learned Riley didn't have pants on or his boots. From the waist down, only his boxer shorts and socks remained. However, police confirmed when his body was found that Riley had his shirt and Apple watch still on.

Watch me above talk about Riley's first autopsy report in the player above.

"It is unusual. Normally if you fall in the river, it's very difficult to get your pants off," said Dr. Bill Bass, who is the founder of the University of Tennessee's famed Body Farm and one of the foremost experts on body decomposition in the world.

I asked him about the missing pants and boots. Dr. Bass said it's possible, but unlikely they came off in the river current.

"No, they would not come off by themselves," Bass said.

He said debris could have snagged the clothing or he had another theory.

"I would say somebody took them off," Bass said. "If you do research on this, it would be very difficult because you've got to kill a person to do it, but it is difficult to get your pants off. It's difficult when you are alive to get your pants off."

I spoke with Riley’s stepdad Chris Whiteid, who says he didn't want to comment now about the second autopsy since the family is focused on Riley's funeral on Friday.

But he did say they have “big things to share” next week.


Investigators are still awaiting toxicology results from the autopsy.

It does get harder to explain if he still had his boxers and socks on, that’s for sure.
 
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