Tennessee police searching for missing Mizzou student
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Police in Nashville, TN, are looking for a student from the University of Missouri after he was kicked out of a bar Friday night.
Riley Strain’s parents said he was in Nashville for a conference with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers. Friday night, around 9:30 p.m., he was escorted out of Luke Bryan’s bar in downtown Nashville. Strain told his friends he was headed back to the hotel but never made it.
Instead, his stepdad, Chris Whiteid, said Strain’s phone was pinged at 10:15 p.m., 45 minutes later, in the opposite direction of the hotel.
“We feel like when he came out because they had been to a couple other places, that he got turned around on the direction he was going,” Whiteid said. “At approximately 10:30 a.m. (Saturday morning) they called my wife; we’re in Springfield, MO., and told her he was missing and they did not know what to do.”
Whiteidand his wife immediately drove down to Nashville to talk with the police. According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), they have done both hospital and jail checks but have found nothing. Police records show his friends tried to use Riley’s Snapchat location to find him but were unable to see him in the area of the last reported location.
“They realized he was missing that night,” Whiteid said. “What I gather from them, when they got to the hotel room and he was not there, his keys were still in the envelope sitting in the room, so he had not been back to the room since he didn’t have a way to get in.”
Police say since the phone ping at 10:15 p.m. Friday night, the phone has either been turned off or is dead. Police told Strain’s parents they are reviewing the surveillance cameras in the area.
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Our sister station in Nashville, WKRN, spoke with Strain’s parents, who say their 22-year-old was set to graduate with a degree in business finance in May.
“He is contacting me all the time; he is always texting me, calling me, Facetiming me, he is always in touch with me,” Riley’s mom, Michelle Whiteid, said while holding back tears. “He Facetimed me earlier that night, we were communicating. He was at two other bars before and he was sending me pictures and texting me. This is not like him, not at all.”
Communications director for the University of Missouri, Christian Basi, said Monday afternoon that the event Riley and his fraternity brothers were attending was not affiliated with the university.
Mizzou is now offering counseling resources on campus and university officials have been in touch with Strain’s family and the police in Nashville.
“This is no news no parent ever wants to hear,” Basi said. “They never want to get this kind of a phone call. The university is going to be there with as much support as we can. We always want to ensure that everybody takes as many precautions as they can. Even if they do that, they could still find themselves in this kind of situation.”
Basi said Riley was attending the event in Nashville with more than two dozen fraternity members.
Strain’s mom said Riley is hard to miss at 6’5, 160 pounds, with blue eyes and blonde hair. She described him as fun and outgoing.
“He’s a great kid,” Michelle said. “We miss him and we want him back so bad. If anyone sees anything, please just call the police.”
Michelle described her son as fun and outgoing. She said their family is doing everything they can to remain optimistic as they continue to search for Strain.
The TC Restaurant Group, which owns and operates Luke’s 32 Bridge bar in Nashville, shared this statement on Strain’s disappearance:
“TC Restaurant Group, operator and owner of Luke’s 32 Bridge, is continuing to work closely with the Metro Nashville Police Department 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.”
Anyone with information at Mizzou’s campus is asked to call MU Police, 573-882-7201, who is working with law enforcement in Nashville.
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