A body found in a river in West Nashville has been confirmed to be that of missing University of Missouri student Riley Strain, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department confirmed on Friday.
“The body of Riley Strain was recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville this morning, approximately 8 miles from downtown,” police said on social media.
Police added that no “foul play-related trauma was observed” and an autopsy is pending.
Strain, 22, disappeared while on a fraternity trip to Nashville, and was last seen on March 8, shortly after being kicked out of Luke’s 32 Bridge, a bar owned by country singer Luke Bryan.
In recent days, the search for Strain has focused on area waterways after his debit card was found along a Nashville river. Officials first focused on Cumberland River’s downtown section before expanding the search to include more of the river, including the Cheatham Dam, which is about 40 miles from downtown Nashville. The search has involved helicopters, boats and ground crews. Police also shut down the dam to inspect debris that floated to the surface.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department has been working with the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office to conduct downriver operations. The United Cajun Navy, a volunteer disaster relief organization, has also participated in the search. It’s not clear which agency found the body discovered on Friday.
The Cumberland River is a major waterway that runs over 680 miles through Kentucky and Tennessee. Multiple dams dot the river.