Missing Mizzou student Riley Strain’s bank card found by ‘TikTok investigators’

It’s been over a week since a missing University of Missouri student was last seen in Nashville, and new details are deepening the mystery of his disappearance.

Riley Strain, 22, of Springfield, was last seen around 10 p.m. last Friday night when he was kicked out of Luke’s 32 Bridge Bar at 301 Broadway, a downtown Nashville bar owned by country star Luke Bryan, according to Metro Nashville police.

A friend told police they lost sight of him and tried to use Snapchat to find his location but weren’t successful, police said in a news release. Strain’s friends attempted to call him multiple times into the next day but kept getting his voicemail.

Police said in a tweet Sunday afternoon that Riley’s bank card was found on the embankment between Gay Street and the Cumberland River. Chris Dingman, a family friend for over 40 years, told The Star it was found by TikTok users who have taken an interest in the case. He referred to them as TikTok investigators. A segment of a livestream posted by one of the creators shows the moment when one of them found the card .

Strain was identified by a homeless person last week when he walked through a homeless camp the night he went missing.

Dingman also confirmed that the bouncer did not allow Strain to stand outside of the bar to wait for his friends to close their tabs. He was taken out the side door of the bar, and by the time his friends paid and walked out, he was gone.

Aaron Rummage, Director of Legislation, Policy and Communications at the Tennessee Alcohol and Beverage Commission told The Star in a statement Thursday there is an investigation into the bar to see if there were any violations, such as overserving the college student.

“There are no specific rules or statutes that governs escorting out intoxicated patrons from their businesses or providing assistance in getting someone home. However, state law prohibits serving alcoholic beverages to someone who is visibly intoxicated. A violation is a class A misdemeanor,” Rummage said in the statement.

Another friend of Strain’s, who was there in Nashville, called police at 1:46 p.m. Saturday from outside the Nashville Central Police Precinct trying to file a missing person’s report, explaining they were in town for a fraternity formal when Strain went missing.

“We’re here on a fraternity formal trip. It’s one of my good buddies,” the caller said.

Strain is a Springfield native and senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies and business, as well as a member of the Delta Chi fraternity. A vigil was held Wednesday night at his old high school, Kickapoo High, to pray for his safe return.

“We love him more than anything and just want him home,” said Riley Strain’s cousin Chelsea Strain in a statement to The Star on Wednesday.

The 911 caller said that the last location of Strain’s phone was around 11 p.m. near the Central Police Precinct at the intersection of Korean Veterans Boulevard and 6th Avenue.

“We’ll be here,” the caller said when the operator told him officers were on their way.

Police said they did a hospital and jail check, as well as a phone ping. Verizon was not able to get a live ping because Strain’s phone was off, but did give the phone’s last known location, which was 0.64 miles southwest of the cell tower at 19 Oldham Street, the news release said.

Detectives released surveillance video this week of Strain crossing North 1st Avenue to Gay Street that night. A be-on-the-lookout order has been issued, the release said.

Police also conducted a helicopter search of the area, including the riverbank, on Monday, as well as a ground search with no results. The Urban Search & Rescue team conducted a deep search Thursday along the brush and the riverbank of the Cumberland River, according to a tweet from the police department.

Strain is described as a white male, 160 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black and brown button-up shirt with a black chest pocket, blue jeans, brown boots and a black Apple watch.

Anyone who sees Strain is asked to call 615-862-8600.

This story was originally published March 14, 2024 at 5:10 PM.