Nashville police have ended their formal investigation into the death of Riley Strain. However, the family of the 22-year-old University of Missouri student still has more questions than answers. Strain went missing on March 8 in Nashville after being escorted out of Luke Bryan’s downtown bar. Two weeks later, a nearby worker discovered the young man’s body in the Cumberland River. Bryan likely can’t provide the closure the family is so desperately seeking. But the “Play It Again” singer can offer his condolences, and a family friend recently revealed Bryan has expressed interest in doing so.
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Luke Bryan Has Reached out to Riley Strain’s Family
Chris Dingman is a family friend who has acted as a spokesman during Strain’s disappearance and death. Speaking with The Pascal Show, Dingman said that Bryan had reached out to the family through his manager.
“Luke has sent his empathy towards the family and everything, as far as that goes. Wants to possibly talk to the family,” Dingman said. “Understands with what’s going on right now with Riley and trying to get information toxicology and stuff, you know, it’s pretty much just left at that point right now. But they did reach out to the family which I thought was nice, the family thought that was nice too.”
Dingman added the family has no information indicating that “something bad happened” to Strain in Bryan’s bar.
What Happened To Riley Strain?
Strain had been in Nashville with members of his college fraternity the night he went missing. The finance major was last seen being escorted out of Bryan’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink.
Strain texted his friends to tell them he was going back to their hotel, only a few blocks from the bar. Surveillance video showed him instead walking in a different direction toward the river.
[RELATED: Family of Riley Strain Raises Questions About His Last Moments After Autopsy Report]
Nashville police later released body camera footage of an officer exchanging brief greetings with Strain the night he went missing in a post to X/Twitter, the department said the college student “did not appear distressed.”
Law enforcement continued their investigation after Strain’s body was recovered March 22 from the Cumberland River. A week later, the investigation ended. Police say that preliminary autopsy results pointed to an accidental death.
Featured image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Human Artistry Campaign
