Found Deceased TN - Riley Strain, 22, missing after leaving bar, Nashville, 8 March 2024 #3

[Cassady]

Mr. Fischer:

Thank you for assisting the family with this situation. I am empathetic to what they are going through, as my sister's teenage boy went missing and was later found deceased in water under very suspicious circmstances over 30 yeears ago.

I was practicing law in MInnesotsa in the 2000's when a series of college age men fron Minnesota and Wisconsin went missing. Some of them were found in water and a few were never found. Always a similar scenario: college age males drinking; get separated from friends; disappears; often found in water. There are similar reports of cases like this all over the country.

The toxicology reports are key, re BAC and precense of substances like GHB and other incapacitating drugs.

Also, look up the studies on "dry drowning" or drowning without aspiration. I posted some of these in early threads for Riley. It is commonly mistated in the media and even by cororners and others that it happens in 15-20% of drowning cases. However, studies in the last 30 years have shown that number to be much lower than the studies from the 1930"s estimated...perhaps a low as 2-3% of drownings. These newer studies also suggest that in those case there may well be natural or other causes of death involved besides drowning and that those other causes should be ruled out.

IMO

I hope you are able to find out enough information to give the family the answers they deserve.

I forgot to mention the level of decomposition compared to the time in the water. There are other similar cases where the level of decomposition did not match the time in the water...IMO

 

[Jewels53]

You can take this with a grain of salt if you like. I got to see Riley's grandmother twice this week. Riley's passing is still very raw with the family therefore I didn't ask any questions about the investigation. She is very emotional about what all has happened in the last few weeks. Her husband Riley's grandpa was sick during a lot of the missing part and missed his funeral. He is doing better now. I think Riley got some of his traits from his grandma, she is very sweet.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

I forgot to mention the level of decomposition compared to the time in the water. There are other similar cases where the level of decomposition did not match the time in the water...IMO

Hi there Cassady. Has it been reported that the level of decomposition didn't match the time he would have been in the water? If yes I missed that.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

You can take this with a grain of salt if you like. I got to see Riley's grandmother twice this week. Riley's passing is still very raw with the family therefore I didn't ask any questions about the investigation. She is very emotional about what all has happened in the last few weeks. Her husband Riley's grandpa was sick during a lot of the missing part and missed his funeral. He is doing better now. I think Riley got some of his traits from his grandma, she is very sweet.

Oh gosh, that is so incredibly sad that his grandfather wasn't able to attend his funeral. I imagine this will be raw for all of them for months and years to come. Thank you for reading here and posting.

 

[acutename]

I recall the Cumberland River was moving 3.81 feet per second the day Riley disappeared. That's pretty darned fast, and water entering his boots and eventually yanking his boots after 2 wks in the river doesn't surprise me that much.

I also recall the noise Riley's boots were making as he clomped along the sidewalk and past that lone police officer. I thought then his boots seemed "loose"

Were his boots a half-size larger than his actual shoe size? This would have also assisted the river current in ripping off his boots as well as maybe Riley possibly loosening them if he had a chance in the river.

JMO

shoes were size 15 (but I might bet that his feet were narrow...)

Riley Strain search: TikTokers find bank card​

KIRO 7 News Seattle
https://www.kiro7.com › news › trending › riley-strain-...





Mar 18, 2024 — They had gone down to the riverbank and started searching for either Strain's blue wallet or size 15 shoes. Instead, they found a card with ...

 

[Jillyg]

Mr. Fischer:

Thank you for assisting the family with this situation. I am empathetic to what they are going through, as my sister's teenage boy went missing and was later found deceased in water under very suspicious circmstances over 30 yeears ago.

I was practicing law in MInnesotsa in the 2000's when a series of college age men fron Minnesota and Wisconsin went missing. Some of them were found in water and a few were never found. Always a similar scenario: college age males drinking; get separated from friends; disappears; often found in water. There are similar reports of cases like this all over the country.

The toxicology reports are key, re BAC and precense of substances like GHB and other incapacitating drugs.

Also, look up the studies on "dry drowning" or drowning without aspiration. I posted some of these in early threads for Riley. It is commonly mistated in the media and even by cororners and others that it happens in 15-20% of drowning cases. However, studies in the last 30 years have shown that number to be much lower than the studies from the 1930"s estimated...perhaps a low as 2-3% of drownings. These newer studies also suggest that in those case there may well be natural or other causes of death involved besides drowning and that those other causes should be ruled out.

IMO

I hope you are able to find out enough information to give the family the answers they deserve.

The issue is that they're more likely with head injuries and inebriation.

That increases the odds exponentially

 

[arielilane]

@BrianEntin

Heading home after spending time in Missouri with Riley Strain’s parents. More to come next week on @NewsNation.

 

[Ressler]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1780234770498101698

 

[Cindizzi]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1780216759254958225

 

[Ressler]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1780216759254958225

As I previously posted, I’m eager to learn if GHB or any sedatives will be detected in toxicology but didn’t want to get ahead of it. RS was wearing an Apple Watch which may detects heart rate (health info). That may also provide the family with some clues as to if his drink was spiked.
ETA health info
If for example it was GHB, it does give a salty taste, cause nausea & vomiting. If going along with the theory RS consumed 1 drink. JMO

GHB Drug: Effects, Hazards & Methods of Abuse - Drugs.com

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Regarding the drink tasting odd to him, in that short clip his mother said that Riley said his rum and coke "tasted like barbecue". I've learned that Mezcal, similar to tequila, can taste like that to some people. Just wondering if it's possible nothing nefarious was in the drink and that he was mistakenly given a drink that wasn't a rum and coke.

 

[Megnut]

Regarding the drink tasting odd to him, in that short clip his mother said that Riley said his rum and coke "tasted like barbecue". I've learned that Mezcal, similar to tequila, can taste like that to some people. Just wondering if it's possible nothing nefarious was in the drink and that he was mistakenly given a drink that wasn't a rum and coke.

Or he accidentally claimed the wrong drink, one intended for someone else..

I do hope his family gets the answers they seek so they can lay it to rest in good faith. And make peace with the questions that may never get answered.

I don't envy them that task.

JMO

 

[Sundog]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1780216759254958225

I wonder if Riley's parents are thinking about or planning to file a lawsuit against the national fraternity organization, not necessarirly the fraternity students who were with Riley that night, but the national organization for not putting in place certain precautions and/or organizing the event, etc.

 

[Ressler]

I wonder if Riley's parents are thinking about or planning to file a lawsuit against the national fraternity organization, not necessarirly the fraternity students who were with Riley that night, but the national organization for not putting in place certain precautions and/or organizing the event, etc.

If RS was overly intoxicated as the media portray then the bar would be more likely to blame according to the state law. JMO
ETA: if overly intoxicated why serve him a drink then remove him? Seems odd

TABC investigating whether Riley Strain was overserved alcohol on night of disappearance

 

[Sundog]

If RS was overly intoxicated as the media portray then the bar would be more likely to blame according to the state law. JMO
ETA: if overly intoxicated why serve him a drink then remove him? Seems odd

TABC investigating whether Riley Strain was overserved alcohol on night of disappearance

We don't know anything about the fraternity group at the hotel before they went out to the bars that night, and we don't know what kind of fraternity-sponsored event they were all attending in Nashville, who provided transportation, paid for the hotel rooms, ages of all the students, etc.

Just speculating. Were they all adults and had signed some kind of consent or similar forms? What was the fraternity event they were attending, I wonder.

 

[Ressler]

We don't know anything about the fraternity group at the hotel before they went out to the bars that night, and we don't know what kind of fraternity-sponsored event they were all attending in Nashville, who provided transportation, paid for the hotel rooms, ages of all the students, etc.

Just speculating. Were they all adults and had signed some kind of consent or similar forms? What was the fraternity event they were attending, I wonder.

If they are old enough to enter bars, they definitely are considered adults. I had friends that just came back from Nashville last week. Family with teenagers looking to have dinner & drinks. The bars were very strict and wouldn’t allow them in (with the exception of one bar.)

 

[MassGuy]

Riley Strain’s mom says he texted her about drink tasting odd

Riley Strain’s mom says she is bothered by a text her son sent her about his drink the night he went missing.

www.newsnationnow.com

(NewsNation) — The family of Riley Strain, a University of Missouri student who went missing in March and was later found dead in a river in Nashville, still has questions over his death.

Michelle Whiteid, Strain’s mom, says she is bothered by a text message her son sent the last night he was seen.

Strain disappeared March 8 after getting kicked out of a downtown bar while visiting Tennessee with his fraternity brothers.

Earlier that night, Michelle Whiteid said, he sent her a message, saying he ordered a rum and coke that “didn’t taste good.”

Whiteid told Strain he probably shouldn’t drink it. He told her, “It tastes like barbecue.”

“I go, ‘Well, that sounds awful,” Whiteid said in an interview with NewsNation. “He said, ‘Well, it sounds good, but it’s not.'”

“Maybe there was something in it that shouldn’t have been,” Whiteid said.

 

[SMK777]

Riley Strain’s mom says he texted her about drink tasting odd​

Riley Strain’s mom says he texted her about drink tasting odd

Riley Strain’s mom says she is bothered by a text her son sent her about his drink the night he went missing.

www.newsnationnow.com

 

[MassGuy]

Regarding the drink tasting odd to him, in that short clip his mother said that Riley said his rum and coke "tasted like barbecue". I've learned that Mezcal, similar to tequila, can taste like that to some people. Just wondering if it's possible nothing nefarious was in the drink and that he was mistakenly given a drink that wasn't a rum and coke.

Yeah, apparently GHB has a bitter taste, which wouldn’t be like what he described. I doubt any roofie tastes like barbecue. It has to be explained by the type of alcohol they used.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

I watch a food channel on YouTube, and every week they make an old cocktail recipe.

If the recipe calls for rum, for example, they always make two or three different versions of the cocktail using different types of rum. And each version usually tastes completely different. They might love one version and absolutely hate another, purely because of the flavour of the particular rum.

Based on having watched a lot of those YouTube videos, I would think it's quite possible for a particular brand of rum to impart an unexpected flavour on a drink. You'd have to know which rum the bartender used before you could be sure there was anything strange about it.