The family of deceased University of Missouri senior Riley Strain has said they believe someone helped the 22-year-old into the river, where his body was later found. Strain vanished in Nashville while he was in Music City for a fraternity conference with his Delta Chi fraternity brothers. His body was later found in the Cumberland River.
Strain’s family told NewsNation’s Brian Entin that evidence that Strain fell into the water by accident did not seem convincing to them. Police said that his death appears to be “accidental.”
Family expresses doubts
“If he truly fell in the water, and you can prove that to me, show me,” Strain’s stepfather, Chris Whiteid, said. “I’ll accept it. But I can tell you from all the stuff that we’ve done as far as searching, looking, taking pictures — I don’t feel like it’s really possible to happen. He may have fallen. Somebody helped him in the water.”
The medical examiner who performed the autopsy confirmed that there was no water in the student's lungs. Reports also claimed that there were no cuts and bruises on Strain’s body.
Chris believes that if Strain really fell into the water from an inclined terrain, he would have hurt his head or suffered other wounds. “No cuts or scrapes or anything serious like that,” Chris said. The family later ordered a second autopsy.
{{/usCountry}}Chris believes that if Strain really fell into the water from an inclined terrain, he would have hurt his head or suffered other wounds. “No cuts or scrapes or anything serious like that,” Chris said. The family later ordered a second autopsy.
{{/usCountry}}Strain went missing after being thrown out of Luke’s 32 Bridge. His mother, Michelle Whiteid, has revealed that he told her he ordered a rum and coke but it “didn’t taste good.” “Maybe there was something in it that shouldn’t have been,” she said.
As per surveillance footage obtained after Strain’s disappearance, as well as witnesses, he was “very, very intoxicated” after being kicked out of the bar. His family recently also blasted his fraternity brothers for partying and waiting to call the police even after he went missing.