Autopsy results in the high-profile death of college student Riley Strain were released Tuesday.
According to several reports, Strain’s cause of death is officially listed as “drowning and ethanol intoxication.” His death was classified as accidental.
He reportedly had a blood alcohol level of .228, nearly four times the legal limit, along with Delta-9, a chemical in cannabis and hemp plants that has an intoxicating effect.
Strain, a 22-year-old college student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, disappeared from Luke Bryan’s bar in downtown Nashville on March 8.
After an extensive search, his body was recovered in the Cumberland River in West Nashville, approximately eight miles from downtown, two weeks later, on March 22.
On the day he was found, the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said that no foul play was suspected in Strain’s death.
“The body of Riley Strain was recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville this morning, approximately 8 miles from downtown. No foul play-related trauma was observed. An autopsy is pending,” MNPD said that day, as reported by The Tennessee Star.
“We’ve confirmed that it is Riley Stain,” MNPD Chief John Drake said at the time. “The family has been contacted. There are no signs of foul play at this time according to the examination here at the river bank. Mr. Strain still had the shirt on that he was wearing, still had the watch, and other identifying factors that helped us identify who he is.”
“I want to say to the family – my heart and prayers go out to you all for this very unfortunate and tragic incident,” he said.
The Strain family was reportedly heavily involved in the search.
Strain was an outdoorsman who earned a Presidential Medal for Volunteering by dedicating more than 500 hours of community service to the Wonders of Wildlife, according to his obituary.
“Riley embraced outdoor adventures, whether it was hunting, fishing, or simply enjoying the serenity of the lake. Riley’s competitive spirit shone through in tennis matches and his budding interest in the discipline of Jiujitsu. Above all, Riley cherished time spent with family, creating lasting memories.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on X/Twitter.
