Riley Strain's Death Appears "Accidental," Police Say

What happened to Riley Strain?

The 22-year-old University of Missouri student was last seen alive in downtown Nashville on March 8 after a night of bar-hopping with some fraternity buddies, according to police. And even as the search for Riley entered its second week, his family continued to hope for the best, even as they steeled themselves for the worst.

"We're moving forward as, you know, he's coming home and we're graduating in May," Riley's stepdad Chris Whiteid told NBC News on March 16, "and life goes on just as normal."

But two weeks after Riley disappeared, his body was pulled out of the Cumberland River on the city's west side, about eight miles away from where he started out.

The case had drawn national attention because he had gone missing after being kicked out of a bar owned by country singer Luke Bryan, so online speculation ran wild. Was he very drunk? Did he get in a fightคำพูดจาก ปั่นสล็อตแตกทุกเกม? Who saw him last? Surely someone knew what happened?

photosRiley Strain: Life in Photos

So even though the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department shared "no foul play-related trauma was observed" when his body was found, armchair sleuths primed for a shocking twist may not have been prepared for his death being an accident.

X/Twitter

While toxicology results are pending, the autopsy performed March 23 found no evidence of foul play-related trauma, a police spokesperson told E! News, and Riley's death "continues to appear accidental."

Still, the term "accidental" is a manner of death, not an explanation as to how Riley ended up in the river. His family had questions of their own, so they independently ordered another autopsy.

On March 29, police told E! News that the case remains an "open pending investigation" and they are waiting for the results of the second autopsy. 

Here's everywhere the case has gone since the night Riley went missing:

Trending Stories

1

Jennie Garth Briefly Addresses Dan Schneider & Costar Amanda Bynes

2

Why Paris Hilton and Carter Reum Don't Share Photos of Daughter London

3

YouTuber Aspyn Ovard Files for Divorce Amid Birth of Baby No. 3

(E! and NBC News are both members of the NBCUniversal family.)