University of Missouri student Riley Strain's body was found in the Cumberland River on March 22nd after a two-week search. A medical examiner's report has now determined that he died of drowning and ethanol poisoning, with a blood alcohol level of .228%. The investigation has also revealed that Strain consumed between 12 and 15 drinks on the night he disappeared.
University of Missouri student Riley Strain, whose body was found in the Cumberland River on March 22nd after a two-week search, died of drowning and ethanol poisoning, according to a medical examiner's report obtained by WSMV4 Investigates.
The report also paints a clearer picture of Strain's alcohol consumption on the night he disappeared. Strain, 22, had a blood alcohol level of .228%, which is nearly three times the legal limit for driving in Tennessee.
Riley Strain's Cause of Death Revealed: Drowning and Ethanol Intoxication
The investigation found that Strain began drinking on a bus ride from Missouri to Tennessee, despite the driver's strict no-alcohol rule. He then continued to drink at a Mexican restaurant in downtown Nashville and was seen stumbling around on surveillance footage later that evening.
Strain was asked to leave Luke's 32 Bridge on Broadway after 9:30 p.m., after which he began walking in the general direction of his hotel and disappeared.
Riley Strain's Cause of Death Revealed: Drowning and Ethanol Intoxication
Security footage from Luke's 32 Bridge shows Strain being escorted out of the bar by a member of his party. The individual with Strain did not exit and returned upstairs.
Strain's phone last pinged between 10 and 10:30 p.m. in the area of Public Square Park, located near the sheriff's office and the Cumberland River.
Riley Strain's Cause of Death Revealed: Drowning and Ethanol Intoxication
The Tennessee Alcohol Beverage Commission previously ruled that Strain had not been overserved after conducting its own investigation that involved reviewing security camera footage.
However, the footage reviewed by TABC apparently did not show Strain visibly drunk, as WSMV4 reported.
Riley Strain's Cause of Death Revealed: Drowning and Ethanol Intoxication
Video footage shared by MNPD after Strain's death showed the 22-year-old stumbling as he walked away from downtown and in the direction of the river.
Approximately two weeks after Strain disappeared, on March 22, a worker at a company based along the Cumberland River reported seeing a body to police, who were later able to confirm Strain's identity.
Riley Strain's Cause of Death Revealed: Drowning and Ethanol Intoxication
Strain is remembered in his obituary for his commitment to service, dedicating more than 500 hours to the Wonders of Wildlife; his love for hunting, fishing, and spending time with his family; and his passion for "good food."
