22-year-old Riley Ray Strain, who was a student at the University of Missouri, got disappeared a week ago after he stated that he was going out with his friends in Nashville. After his disappearance, a big search is now going on.
Missing college student Riley Strain in a photo shared on social media after his disappearance in March 2024 | Source: facebook/wztvfox17newsnashville
Michelle Whiteid, Strain’s mother had talked and made a public plea while the search for her son is continuing. The only clue found after Strain is his bank card found near a river bank.
After a message from Strain’s phone sent on the night he vanished got revealed, the situation went deeper as a mystery to solve.
On the 8th of March, Strain was disappeared after he went out with his friends in Nashville. After Strain went to Luke Bryan’s bar, at 9:35 he was escorted out of the bar, as it was seen from the security footage.
After that, Strain was seen on the Gay Street at 9:47 p.m., as if he had a place to go on his mind. Then in another footage, Strain was seen disoriented.
On the morning of March 9, the missing report about Strain was filed, after Strain didn’t returned to his dorm. As the phone calls were left unresponded by Strain, his fraternity brothers went to the police station.
On March 10, Strain’s family arrived in Nashville, amd his stepfather, Christopher Whiteid, and his mother had joined to the search for their son, but sadly, they couldn’t found anything.
The detective who was assigned to Strain’s case informed the family that noone descrited like Riley had been found in the morgue or hospital. As there are no negative and positive news regarding Riley’s search, the operation is continuing.
On March 11, the University of Missouri had released over the interim vice chancellor for student affairs, Angela King Taylor.
Taylor stated, “The safety of our community is our highest priority. Our thoughts are with Riley’s family as the search continues.” Then added, “We will be offering any support to them that we can, and we encourage anyone who needs help to reach out to our counseling resources.”
On March 12, Metro Nashville Police Department released an alert from their social media account for Riley as, “Officers continue to work to locate missing person Riley Strain, 22, who was last seen Fri. night by friends @ a Broadway bar in Nashville. Riley is from Missouri and was visiting. He is 6’5″ tall with a thin build, blue eyes, and light brown hair. See him? Pls call 615-862-8600.”
On March 13 the family had talked with the media as Strain’s stepfather Christopher said, “It’s killing us. Because we don’t know what’s going on. We can’t find him.”
“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,” Christopher had addressed to Strain.
On March 15, Luke Bryan’s bar, which where Strain was lastly seen had released in their statement as, “During Riley’s visit to Luke’s 32 Bridge, our records show he purchased and was served one alcoholic drink and two waters.”
“At 9:35 p.m., our security team made a decision based on our conduct standards to escort him from the venue through our Broadway exit at the front of our building.”
On March 17, Strain’s bank card was found near the river bank of Cumberland River, which was far away from where Riley was last seen. Two women, Anna Clendening and Brandy Baenen found the bank card.
On March 18, police released a body camera footage where Strain had an encounter with Officer Reginald Young. In the footage Riley was asked “How are you doing, sir?” by Young, and the missing young man asked back, “I’m good, how are you?”
On March 19, a cryptic text was sent from Riley’s phone on the night he got disappeared, to a woman which Riley was reportedly seeing, as their family friend Chris Dingman stated.
“He’s got several friends that are female, male. I don’t know the individual he talked to at that time,” Strain’s mother, Michelle stated in an interview.
On March 20, Strain’s mother Michelle had talked with WKTN, where she was in tears. When Michelle talked about her son’s friends, she said, “They’re heartbroken also. I mean, he’s their best friend, and we love these boys like our own, and it’s just as hard on them as it is on us.”
“He’s my best friend, he’s everything.” Michelle said. She stated that her only focus was to bring her son back.
“We just want to find him, and we want to be able to take him home.” Riley’s stepfather Christopher said.
“Riley is going to tower and stand out in a crowd anyways. He’s got a big personality, and doesn’t really know a stranger. He can walk up and talk to anybody.”
ANOTHER BOY, WHO WAS 11 WHEN HE PASSED AWAY, WHILE PROTECTING HIS MOTHER
A tragedy happened on Wednesday morning, in Edgewater, Chicago, where an 11-year-old boy Jayden Perkins, and his pregnant mother were critically injured. 37-year-old Crosetti Brand was charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder with other crime charges.
Brand, or known as “CO,” had attacked on the pregnant mother, while the 33-year-old woman was on the phone, he forced himself in. The pregnant woman was talking with her mother on the phone, and as it was stated in the court, the mother heard her daughter scream, “No CO,” which then went silent.
Sadly, while young Jayden had tried to protect his mother, he was fatally stabbed by Crosetti Brand.
In the chaotic event, a 6-year-old boy was found on the couch, which witnessed what happened to his brother. A neighbor had responded to the screams, ann called 911 after thinking something terrible happened.
The responders found Jayden’s mother on the ground covered in blood, with a critical injury on her neck, and rushed to Ascension St. Francis Hospital in Evanston.
Jayden was studying at the Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies, where the school said in tribute to Jayden as, “He was the student who stood up for everyone.”
The community had created a GoFundMe page for the family, which received $26,000 through the donations, where the donation goal was $50,000.
Brand was caught before, where he threatened his girlfriend, and sentenced for 16 years in prison for home invasion, and was paroled in October of the last year.
After his parole, Brand had threatened again, as he was sending texts to the victims. He was threatening to kill Jayden’s mother, and ruin her family.
Amanda Pyron from The Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence had stated that she was concerned over the judge’s failure to see a killer and keep him in the prison, instead of paroling him.
Kim Foxx, State’s Attorney stated, “An innocent child’s life was taken as he tried to protect his mother. And a mother was attacked in what should have been the safest place for her, her home.”
Mayor Johnson stated that he was devastated after the terrible event as, “This despicable crime is a horrific reminder of the need for us to correct systemic failures, address the root causes of violence in our community, and continue to support our domestic violence and gender-based violence survivors, their families and communities, and the providers and advocates who do this work daily.”
“We grieve alongside his family and community as we reckon with this unthinkable loss. We pray for Jayden’s mother’s recovery. We will never forget Jayden, who was taken from us much too soon. May God rest his soul in eternal peace.” The Mayor continued.
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