Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student who had been missing in Nashville for nearly two weeks, was tragically found dead in the Cumberland River, police confirmed on Friday. The discovery was made by workers on the river, and no foul play is suspected in Strain’s death.
Authorities had been searching for Strain since he was last seen on March 8 after a night out in downtown Nashville. Despite limited clues, such as finding his bank card along a river bank, investigators were actively trying to locate him. University officials revealed that Strain had been traveling to Nashville to attend a private event.
Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, and stepfather, Chris Whiteid, had been in Nashville since learning of his disappearance, desperately hoping for his safe return. Michelle had expressed her anguish over not being able to contact her son, saying it was the longest they had gone without communication.
Police Chief John Drake extended his condolences to Strain’s family, calling the incident a “very unfortunate and tragic accident.” An autopsy is set to be conducted to determine the cause of Strain’s death.
The news of Strain’s passing has left both the Nashville and University of Missouri communities in mourning, as they remember the promising young student who met an untimely end.
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