Riley Strain, the 22-year-old University of Missouri student who stumbled into the Cumberland River after a night of drinking in Nashville, consumed between 12 and 15 alcoholic beverages before his death earlier this year, according to a Metro Nashville Police investigation.
Stam disappeared in March during a trip to Tennessee with his fraternity brothers for spring party. He was last seen live on surveillance video on the night of March 8, shortly after being kicked out of Luke’s 32 Bridge, a bar on Broadway.
Strain’s disappearance sparked a massive search effort, which culminated in the recovery of his body just a few weeks later on March 22.
Strain’s official cause of death was listed as drowning and ethanol poisoning, according to an autopsy report. He had a blood alcohol level of .228 at the time.
The coroner later determined Strain’s death is accidental.
While his blood alcohol level was almost three times the amount legally allowed to drive a vehicle, the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission determined that the university teacher had not overserved.
According to a police report obtained by WSMV4 Investigates, which includes interviews with Delta Chi brothers, Strain began drinking on the bus to Nashville despite the strict rules prohibiting alcohol. they said Strain had at least five drinks before they even got to Tennesseeincluding two vodka shots and three IPAs.
The bus reached its destination around 4:30 p.m. Less than 30 minutes later, Strain was caught on camera sipping a margarita at Casa Rosa, according to TABC, which reviewed footage from all the bars Strain went to the night he disappeared. They found he was served alcohol three different times.
Investigators said Strain didn’t show any obvious signs of being intoxicated until around 8:40 p.m. when he started stumbling. At 21:38 pm, he was booted from Luke’s 32 Bridge for being “verbally aggressive” towards staff.
Strain told friends he planned to return to their hotel, but he never returned.