Riley Strain cause of death released: Drowning, ethanol intoxication killed college student on night out
Tennessee's chief medical examiner released a full toxicology report Tuesday for 22-year-old University of Missouri senior Riley Strain, whose body was found in the Cumberland River in March after a fraternity outing in Nashville.
Strain's blood alcohol level was .228 – more than twice the legal limit – when he died, and he also had Delta 9 in his system, per the toxicology report reviewed by Fox News Digital.
Evidence of pleural effusion, or water on the lungs, and pulmonary edema were also reported in the autopsy. In addition to the high alcohol content, evidence of caffeine, nicotine and marijuana was found in Strain's blood.
Strain's causes of death were listed as drowning and ethanol intoxication, and his manner of death was deemed accidental.
Strain was last seen on a spring formal fraternity trip in downtown Nashville on March 8. One of his friends called 911 the next morning and filed a police report, spurring a weekslong search.
He had been out on Broadway drinking with friends at Luke Bryan's downtown bar, called Luke's 32, when staff asked him to leave. Strain's family accused the bar of overserving him, but the establishment said they only served the fraternity brother one alcoholic drink.
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People working along the river in West Nashville found Strain's body in the water on the morning of March 22.
In the days before the discovery, investigators analyzed bits of surveillance footage from different Nashville bars and businesses in an effort to retrace his steps and find him. Meanwhile, Strain's family took to social media to spread news of the student's disappearance.
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For several days, the search was focused around James Robertson Parkway and Gay Streets, where police said Strain's phone last pinged. Officials redirected their search to the Cheatham Lock and Dam near Ashland City on March 20, with volunteers and Strain's family taking part.
Two people who heard of Strain's disappearance through TikTok found the student's credit card on the banks of the Cumberland River.
Although the Metro Nashville Police Department said Strain's death appeared accidental after their preliminary autopsy in March, the fact that his pants and wallet were missing when his body was discovered raised suspicions of foul play, prompting his family to arrange a second autopsy.