Riley Strain Disappearance: Full List of Clues Found

Since Riley Strain disappeared on March 8, the Metro Nashville Police Department has released information about Strain's last-known movements as it continues to search for the missing college student.

Strain, a 22-year-old University of Missouri student, had been on a trip to Nashville, Tennessee, with his fraternity brothers when he disappeared. Surveillance footage shows him stumbling and struggling to walk in a straight line after he became separated from his friends when he was kicked out of country music star Luke Bryan's bar, Luke's 32 Bridge.

Following Strain's disappearance, surveillance videos and other clues have given more insight into his movements since leaving the bar. Here is a full list of clues.

Metro Nashville Police Department reported Strain left the bar around 9:40 p.m. on March 8 after being asked to leave. In a statement, the TC Restaurant Group, which owns and operates the bar, said its 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." Strain has not been seen since, and his disappearance has sparked a search.

According to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, about 600,000 people go missing in the U.S. every year. Analysis of missing adults over age 21 by Statista showed that 100,492 men and 62,552 women went missing in 2021.

Newsweek has contacted Metro Nashville Police Department via email for comment.

Riley Strain
Riley Strain, a missing college student. Since his disappearance on March 8, Metro Nashville Police Department has released information about Strain's last-known movements as it continues to search for him. Metro Nashville Police Department

Metro Nashville Police Department released surveillance video on March 12 that showed Strain's movements following his departure from the bar. He can be seen stumbling off in the opposite direction of his hotel and crashing into a pole off Church Street.

Strain can then be seen stumbling onto Gay Street near the river, holding his head in some of the footage. Surveillance video last captures Strain on Gay Street near the James Robertson Bridge, according to the police.

Phone tracking has also provided insight, as it last placed Strain about a half-mile from the bar between Gay Street and James Robertson Parkway.

On March 17, Metro Nashville Police Department said it found Strain's bank card on the embankment between Gay Street and the Cumberland River.

The following day, newly released body-camera footage showed Strain having a brief exchange of greetings with Nashville Officer Reginald Young, who was responding to a vehicle burglary call on Gay Street, south of the Woodland Street Bridge. According to the police, no video of Strain has been seen after this point.

The search efforts for Strain continue as the police have searched on land and in the river. Strain is described as 6 feet and 5 inches tall, with a thin build, blue eyes and light brown hair. Anyone with information is asked to call the Metro Nashville Police Department at 615-862-8600.

Strain's disappearance has sparked concerns about whether he was overserved at Luke's 32 Bridge, and the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission said it is investigating, ABC News reported.

TC Restaurant Group, the bar's owner and operator, said it served Strain only one alcoholic beverage and two waters before asking him to leave, in line with its conduct standards. However, the group did not provide any further details about Strain's conduct.

The group added that it is working with police "to provide security camera footage and any other potentially helpful information to aid in the search for Riley Strain. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones for his safe return."

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Natalie Venegas is a Weekend Reporter at Newsweek based in New York. Her focus is reporting on education, social justice ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go