Mystery deepens: Last text from missing Riley Strain reveals cryptic two-word message
On March 8, 22-year-old student Riley Strain went missing after a night out with his fraternity brothers in Nashville. Strain had been out partying and was reportedly removed from Luke Bryan’s bar, Luke’s 32 Bridge bar, for an undisclosed reason.
He informed his friends that he would return to the hotel, but when they got back, he was not there. After unsuccessful attempts to reach him and track his location via Snapchat, his friends reported him missing on March 9.
I was just watching some live footage of Broadway and all I could think, as a parent that has lost a child, was #RileyStrain‘s poor mom, the world just keeps going like everything is fine when to her it should stop to find her boy. To this day, going out is this hardest thing. pic.twitter.com/ctIZzRzRvz
— Officer Kittens (@Derk2165) March 22, 2024
Search efforts began immediately. Strain’s stepfather mentioned that Riley had FaceTimed his mother on the night of his disappearance, revealing that he had visited two more bars before being kicked out of the third. The stepfather, speaking to NBC News, remarked that Riley did not appear overly intoxicated during the call.
A cryptic message from Riley’s phone that night added to the mystery. Surveillance footage captured Riley crossing a street at 9:47 p.m., and another camera recorded him looking disoriented five minutes later, marking his last known sighting.
Strain’s family made public pleas for assistance in finding him. His stepfather expressed their determination, saying, “We’re looking for you. We are not leaving until we have you. We’re going to be with you at graduation…and everything’s going to be fine.”
On the night of his disappearance, Riley sent a text message to a woman he was reportedly seeing. The message, which read “Good lops,” added another layer of confusion to the case. His mother told People magazine that Riley had many friends, both male and female, and she was unsure who he had contacted.
The family of #RileyStrain has not given up hope they will find him alive…but his stepdad told me tonight they are preparing for the worst. @NewsNationComms pic.twitter.com/Kthz7vTS15
— Elizabeth Vargas (@EVargasTV) March 22, 2024
Tragically, on March 22, Riley Strain’s body was discovered eight miles downriver from his last known location. A worker for a local building materials company, which unloads barges at the river, found the body and contacted the police, expressing belief that it was Riley.
A preliminary autopsy by the Metro Nashville Police Department indicated that Riley Strain’s death was likely accidental. Department spokesman Don Aaron stated that a detective was present during the autopsy, and no signs of foul play-related trauma were found. Toxicology results are pending.
Our condolences go out to Riley Strain’s family and friends during this difficult time. May he rest in peace.
