Riley Strain's family is shining new light on the theory that he may have been drugged. The 22-year-old disappeared from Luke Bryan's 32 Bridge Bar in Nashville. Authorities discovered his body in the Cumberland River, nearly two weeks later.
Speaking with NewsNation, Strain's stepfather Chris Whiteid said Strain communicated with his mother through the trip to Nashville with his frat brothers. On the evening he disappeared, Strain reportedly texted her that he ordered a rum and co*ke, but"that didn't taste good."
Now, his family believes he may have been drugged by the drink."Maybe there was something in it that shouldn't have been," Whiteid said. The family didn't say what bar Strain reportedly bought the drink at. However, 32 Bridge Bar asked Strain to leave due to apparent intoxication. They said they only served him one drink and two waters.
Meanwhile, Strain's stepfather is blasting Strain's frat brothers for "all of a sudden disappeared, all of the boys," during the search, Whiteid said. He said he found out a little later they went partying"in their dress clothes to go out to their formal that night."
"Why wouldn't they — Why wouldn't they have called the police when they got back at 3:15 in the morning and didn't see him then? Why wouldn't they have called the police?" Whiteid said.
Riley Strain's Family Wants Answers
Strain's own father Ryan Gilbert also echoed a similar sentiment. "We haven't really heard much from them," Gilbert toldNews Nation. "There's a lot of things we'd like to find out from them. If I was in their situation, I'd be beating down those parents' doors to tell them everything I could and be helpful in any way that I could."
The family is still waiting on toxicology to get back from the autopsy. Currently, police aren't expecting foul play despite there being little water in Strain's lungs. One expert Dr. Michael Baden explained why.
"It's not the water that causes harm," he told FOX, "it's the blockage of oxygen getting to the lungs."
He added, "So, if somebody goes in the water and because of a spasm of the windpipe, because ... if you can't breathe, you get a little spasm there. It's the lack of oxygen that causes the person to die. And one can have [a] lack of oxygen and water without water getting into the lungs, but just by creating a spasm in the air passages."
FAQs
The 22-year-old's body was pulled from the Cumberland River, and at this point, authorities called it an accidental drowning. But in an exclusive interview, Riley's stepfather Chris Whiteid said the more the family learns, the more they consider the possibility of foul play.
What fraternity did Riley Strain belong to? ›
Strain disappeared March 8 during a trip to Nashville with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers. He communicated with his mom throughout the trip and texted her when they arrived at the hotel, she said.
Why was Riley Strain asked to leave the bar? ›
Instead, it's to his understanding, bar operators asked Strain to leave due to his apparent intoxication. An employee "felt like, you know, maybe he had had enough."
Who is the mother of Riley strain? ›
(NewsNation) — The family of Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student who went missing in March and was later found dead in a river in Nashville, still has questions over his death. Michelle Whiteid, Strain's mom, says she is bothered by a text message her son sent the last night he was seen.
Was Riley Strain's body found? ›
The body of Riley Strain, a missing Missouri student, has been found in a West Nashville river. No foul play is suspected, police said. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The family of Riley Strain has reportedly ordered a second autopsy, family friend Chris Dingman confirmed to a local news station.
Has the Riley strain been found yet? ›
Following almost two weeks of search efforts, Strain was found in the Cumberland River on Friday, March 22, approximately 8 miles from downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The Nashville Department of Emergency Communications released the 911 phone call to KOMU 8 on Thursday, which reported finding Strain's body.
What fraternity hazes the most? ›
Pi Kappa alpha has the most reported hazing deaths
Behind Pi Kappa Alpha were Lambda Chi Alpha and Delta Kappa Epsilon, both with five deaths each. Lianne Kowiak says tradition is most likely the reason that a certain fraternity would have more hazing related deaths than others.
When did Riley Strain go missing? ›
Riley Strain was found dead two weeks after he disappeared. The University of Missouri student went missing after he was asked to leave Luke Bryan's bar in Nashville on March 8. The 22-year-old was last seen by his friends at Luke's 32 Bridge Food + Drink, according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.
Why didn't Riley Strain's friends stay with him? ›
In a newly released email, it's confirmed that Riley Strain's friends were not forced to stay at Luke Bryan's bar “to pay a tab” after Riley was kicked out. His friends chose to stay at the bar and to continue having fun.
Why was Riley kicked out of Luke Bryan's bar? ›
Luke Bryan's Bar Is Reportedly Under Investigation For Overserving Strain. A week after Strain was reported missing, it was revealed that the bar he was kicked out of, Luke Bryan's 32 Bridge Food + Drink, was being investigated for allegedly overserving the college student alcohol.
New Discovery Suggests Riley Strain May Have Hinted That His Drink Was Roofied. A new discovery may lead investigators to look into the possibility of foul play after Riley Strain's mom revealed a text message from her son the night he disappeared.
Why was Riley crying? ›
Riley's world is uprooted when her father gets transferred to a job in San Francisco. This move has a profound emotional impact on Riley; she is losing what is “home” to her – what she knows to be safe and secure. This event is considered a trauma because she experiences something overwhelming and can't process it.
Was Riley strains' phone turned off? ›
Riley did have battery power at the time his phone went dark. What we have been told is the phone did not die due to battery capacity,” Chris Dingman said during a Tuesday interview on NewsNation's “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”
What was Riley strains' cause of death? ›
Riley Strain's death was ruled an accident, but his family still has questions about what happened to the 22-year-old after he was kicked out of a Nashville bar.
What did Riley strain drink taste like BBQ? ›
Whiteid said Strain texted her after ordering a rum and co*ke, writing that “it didn't taste good,” according to the outlet. She said she texted him that he shouldn't drink it, to which he further elaborated that “it tastes like barbecue.” “Well, that sounds awful," she said she texted back.
How did Riley Strain not have water in his lungs? ›
In dry drowning, the body reacts to water entering the system by automatically closing up the airways, which means neither water nor oxygen is getting into the lungs. Strain's family awaits the results of the final autopsy, hoping to get some answers about Riley's final moments.
What happened to Riley strain in Nashville? ›
Strain's body was found on March 22 in the Cumberland River in West Nashville. Police said the college student's death appears “accidental,” with no trauma suggesting foul play, based on the preliminary autopsy results. The medical examiner who performed that autopsy said there was no water in Strain's lungs.
Has Riley Strain been buried? ›
Mourners arrived for his funeral at Greenlawn Funeral Home East in Springfield, Missouri, at 2pm on Friday. Strain was already laid to rest at a local cemetery at a 'very private' ceremony on Friday morning. He was supposed to graduate from the University of Missouri in May, business and financial planning.
Where was Riley's strain last seen? ›
Strain was last seen by his friends after he got kicked out of Luke's 32 Bridge, a rooftop bar with live music, according to a missing person's report.
