A preliminary autopsy has been completed on missing student Riley Strain’s body after he was recovered from Nashville, Tennessee’s Cumberland River this week.
The initial autopsy results showed no signs of foul play, police told WKRN. Authorities recovered his body Friday morning around eight miles from the downtown area where he was last seen, Nashville police said.
Now, his family is thanking the nearby community for their support.
“I want to reiterate how thankful we are for everyone and how much we appreciate everyone’s support, love and prayers,” Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, said.
“We are quite thankful for everything you’ve done — the grace you’ve given us,” Chris Whiteid, Strain’s stepfather, said.
The 22-year-old University of Missouri student was partying with his fraternity in Nashville on 8 March when he was kicked out of a bar around 10pm. Strain’s bank card was found a week later near the river.
The tragic discovery comes after Mr Whiteid and family friend Chris Dingman told NewsNation police had shown them footage of what was believed to be Strain’s last known movements.
In the video, Strain was seen jogging close to the river, away from the direction of his hotel, they said.
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ICYMI: Riley Strain’s body was still in his distinctive shirt
Riley Strain was still wearing his distinctive shirt when his body was pulled from the river, police said.
On the night he was last seen in downtown Nashville, Strain was sporting a monochrome shirt.
Since his disappearance, reports have emerged that a homeless man had found a shirt matching the description close to the river bank and was later seen wearing it.
But, in the press conference on Friday morning, police said that Strain was still wearing his shirt and watch – and that these items helped to identify him.
Katie Hawkinson24 March 2024 15:40
‘Hug your babies tight tonight’: Watch as mother gives statement after Riley Strain’s body was recovered
Riley Strain’s parents and relatives gave an emotional statement on Friday evening, all wearing green — the student’s favourite colour.
Riley’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, gave an emotional address to members of the media after her son’s body was recovered from the Cumberland River.
Katie Hawkinson24 March 2024 15:20
Riley Strain had visited Nashville before his death
Riley Strain had been visiting Nashville from the University of Missouri, known as Mizzou, with his fraternity when he disappeared.
The Delta Chi group was on its annual spring trip. The fraternity said that it and the university were actively involved with the search that ultimately resulted in authorities finding Strain’s body in the Cumberland River.
It was reported that Strain, a senior, had made the trip to Nashville before. His mother and stepfather are from Springfield, Missouri, around 160 miles from the college campus in Columbia.
Katie Hawkinson24 March 2024 15:00
ICYMI: Body of missing Missouri student Riley Strain found in Nashville river
Katie Hawkinson24 March 2024 14:40
The tragic case of Riley Strain and the TikTok sleuths who tried to find him
At one point, a debit card on a river embankment was the only major clue in the disappearance of University of Missouri student Riley Strain – and it was discovered by two TikTokers.
Read more from The Independent’s Andrea Cavallier:
Katie Hawkinson24 March 2024 14:20
Preliminary autopsy reveals no signs of foul play
Police told Nashville, Tennessee outlet WKRN that a preliminary autopsy had been completed on Riley Strain’s body.
As police initially said when they recovered Strain’s body, the preliminary findings continue to support that there was no foul play involved in the 22-year-old’s death.
Katie Hawkinson24 March 2024 14:00
Riley Strain’s family thank Nashville community for love and grace
“I want to reiterate how thankful we are for everyone and how much we appreciate everyone’s support, love and prayers,” Riley Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, said.
“I just ask that you mamas out there hug your babies tight tonight, please, for me,” she continued.
Their words came at Friday evening press conference, just hours after authorities recovered 22-year-old Strain’s body from the Cumberland River.
“We are quite thankful for everything you’ve done — the grace you’ve given us,” Chris Whiteid, Strain’s stepfather, said. “We have learned through this ordeal that everybody has brought all the good to us. We’ve had a little bad, but it has given us faith in people that sometimes gets clouded by what we are constantly hearing.”
Katie Hawkinson24 March 2024 13:40
ICYMI: Restaurant where Riley Strain was last seen removed the student due to “conduct standards”
Riley Strain was thrown out of a restaurant and bar owned by musician Luke Bryan just minutes before surveillance footage captured him alive for the last time.
Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink, owned by Mr Bryan, issued a statement to CNN explaining why staff removed Strain from the premises.
“At 9:38 p.m., our 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.” The restaurant also told the outlet staff served Strain two waters and one alcoholic drink before he left.
Katie Hawkinson24 March 2024 13:20
A nearby worker helped spot Riley Strain’s body in the Cumberland River
In a press briefing, Nashville police said that a worker spotted a body in the river around 7.28am that morning. The worker was removing an object from the river, when the body surfaced.
The Nashville Fire Department was called in to the scene and recovered the body from the water.
Katie Hawkinson24 March 2024 13:00
SEE IT: Candlelight vigil held for Riley Strain after authorities recovered his body
Katie Hawkinson24 March 2024 12:00