Riley's Family Sues Fraternity: 'We Chose to Party' After He Was Kicked Out Bar

Riley Strain’s family is taking legal action.

Approximately one year following the tragic drowning of a University of Missouri student at a fraternity formal in Nashville, Riley’s relatives have initiated a lawsuit against the Delta Chi fraternity and certain individuals who were part of the university’s chapter.

According to a lawsuit obtained by TopMob News, Riley’s family alleges that both the fraternity and several of its members are responsible for negligence and vicarious liability. They claim that the organization fosters an environment where “its fraternity members are taught or encouraged to abandon each other rather than help one another.” This alleged code is said to have contributed to Riley’s death.

The story revolves around the suspicious circumstances surrounding Riley’s vanishing in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 2024. It also touches upon accusations that the buses transporting members of a fraternity and their guests to a formal event had alcohol with over 15% alcohol content, which violates the “Prevention Education” section of Delta Chi’s rules and guidelines.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but share this intriguing detail: It’s said that Riley’s frat brothers supposedly permitted him to stroll back to the hotel alone, following his expulsion from the bar.

either accompany Riley, ensure his safety, and look after him, or carry on with the party. Ultimately, they opted to persist with the festivities.

In addition, Riley’s relatives claim that the members of the fraternity did not take action once they discovered that Riley was missing.

After the young man’s body was found, the international office of the Delta Chi Fraternity issued a statement.

The Delta Chi Fraternity expresses profound sorrow over the heartbreaking death of our respected member, Riley Strain. Our sympathies are with Riley’s family and close ones during this immensely tough period. We are doing our best to offer comfort and resources to everyone impacted by this tragic event.

For more on the heartbreaking case, keep reading.

According to the lawsuit, it’s stated that when Riley’s temporary roommates discovered he wasn’t present, they took no action. No one rushed to search, showed concern, or dialed 9-1-1 to report his late return from the walk back to the hotel, which took over three hours longer than expected. Instead of considering contacting Riley’s parents, these fraternity members merely prepared for bed and retired for the night.

Riley’s relatives are aiming for a jury trial, along with undetermined compensation, for both financial losses and emotional distress caused by Riley’s premature passing at the age of 22. They assert that he endured pain and suffering prior to his demise.

TopMob News attempted to get a response from Delta Chi and the University of Missouri regarding this matter, but we have yet to receive any comments.

On the evening of March 8, 2024, Riley went missing, but it wasn’t until March 22 that his body was found in Nashville’s Cumberland River. His death was determined to be due to drowning and excessive alcohol consumption (often referred to as alcohol poisoning), according to an autopsy report obtained by TMZ, with the manner of his death classified as accidental.

After the finding of the 22-year-old’s remains, the international office of Delta Chi Fraternity issued a statement.

The Delta Chi Fraternity expresses profound sadness over the heartbreaking death of our respected member, Riley Strain. Our thoughts are with Riley’s family and close ones in their time of great distress. We strive to offer comfort and resources to everyone impacted by this tragic event.

For more on the heartbreaking case, keep reading.

On Friday, March 8th, Riley Strain, aged 22 and studying business and financial planning at the University of Missouri, was part of a large Delta Chi fraternity group who traveled to Nashville by bus.

They stayed at The Tempo hotel, conveniently located near Rosa L. Parks Boulevard, just a brief stroll away from the vibrant nightlife of Broadway.

According to Chris Whiteid, who spoke to NBC affiliate WSMV 4, it seems that when they departed Tempo, their first stop was likely Miranda Lambert’s bar, Casa Rosa. They stayed there for approximately an hour and a half, possibly even a bit longer. Later in the evening, around 7:30 PM, the group moved on to the Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky Tonk, which is owned by Garth Brooks. It was at this location that Riley made a call to his mom, Michelle Whiteid, using FaceTime.

In a conversation with WSMV, Michelle expressed, “I told them to enjoy themselves, watch out, and I love them. That was the last response I received.

Chris shared with NBC News that he listened in on Riley discussing his night with Michelle. He mentioned that Riley’s voice didn’t suggest he’d been drinking excessively, and furthermore, Riley carried on texting his mother for about an hour more after their conversation ended.

It was later found through bank transactions that Riley had stopped by Kid Rock’s bar prior to going to Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink, and it was Luke Bryan’s place that was the final destination among the four locations Riley visited on the night he went missing.

In a recent interview on April 16th with NewsNation, I shared my experiences and explained my movements. After departing from Garth’s place, I headed over to Kid Rock’s. I spent an hour there, enjoying the atmosphere. At precisely 9:15 PM, as the detective informed us, I arrived at Luke Bryan’s location. I stayed with him until 9:36 PM, for a total of 21 minutes.

On March 14, the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission announced they were looking into allegations that Riley had arrived at Luke’s 32 Bridge while visibly drunk and was potentially served more alcohol.

According to the establishment, at 9:35 p.m., Riley had consumed one drink and two waters prior to being asked to depart, allegedly due to violating their conduct standards, and subsequently escorted out via the Broadway entrance. The venue, which mentioned it was collaborating with the police and TABC, added that someone from Riley’s group went downstairs to the door but returned upstairs to the bar when Riley exited.

This is alarming,” the restaurant owner, who happens to be a country singer, expressed on Instagram along with a statement about the situation. He’s hoping for a swift and safe recovery of the person in question.

According to a statement issued by the TABC on April 1, they are currently investigating several locations to find out if any breach of the state’s alcohol laws took place in the establishments where Riley received alcohol on March 8.

The involved businesses, all holding valid licenses, have been collaborative throughout the process, according to the agency. Once the current investigation is concluded, the final report will become accessible to the public.

During an interview on April 16 with NewsNation, Riley’s mother reminisced about a text Riley had sent her the evening he disappeared, mentioning that the rum and coke he drank at one of the bars tasted oddly like barbecue to him.

She noted, “Maybe there was something in it that shouldn’t have been.”

It wasn’t Riley’s first time in Nashville, according to his stepdad.

However, according to Chris, they had become divided from one another, as he shared with WSMV on the 11th of March. Subsequently, the group members phoned him, and he informed them that he was walking back to his hotel. They didn’t harbor any concerns about this situation.

However, a surveillance camera outside the escape room business on Third Avenue North caught sight of Riley dashing diagonally through a parking lot and deviating from his initial path. At another location, the camera on Gay Street recorded him crossing First Avenue North at 9:47 p.m.

As he got to the intersection, he paused, swayed slightly, then glanced over his shoulder towards where he had been, and resumed walking along the street. (The authorities posted both videos on social networking sites as part of their inquiry.)

Chris expressed a desire to understand the events leading up to the parking lot, as well as what occurred after he moved onto Gay Street since there seems to be a missing piece in our understanding. It appears there’s something significant happening in that area that will help us connect the dots better.

Riley’s dad, Ryan Gilbert, informed WSMV that as far as they are aware, Riley reached close to the James Robertson Parkway Bridge. This is a crucial point where communication was lost, he added. The last signal from Riley’s phone, according to his parents and stepdad, was sent near the bridge that spans over the Cumberland River.

On the 10th of April, a fresh witness emerged who asserted they had encountered Riley on the night he went missing. This witness’s account was considered significant by Chris Dingman, a friend of Riley’s family. However, officials at the Nashville Police Department told TopMob News on the 12th of April that this statement had been retracted.

Based on what Chris shared with WSMV, it seems that Riley’s friends had reported to him that when they returned to the hotel around 3:15 a.m., they noticed Riley was not present. They then went back outside to search for him and attempted to locate him through Snapchat’s location feature. Unfortunately, this effort was unsuccessful. When Riley was nowhere to be found in any of the nearby rooms where approximately 30 fraternity members were staying, they contacted Chris and Michelle.

I hopped into the car along with Riley’s mother, as Chris instructed, and we embarked on a direct journey from Springfield, Missouri, all the way to Nashville.

As a die-hard enthusiast, I’d rephrase it like this: “Later on, another guest at the hotel shared with us that they overheard some commotion and mentioned they believed the students were quite agitated about something on the evening of March 8th.

During a conversation with NewsNation on April 16th, Ryan, Riley’s father, made clear that someone else from the fraternity sustained an injury to their hand. He added that this incident seemed unrelated to Riley.

In the same conversation, Riley’s relatives stressed that it was only after 14 hours had elapsed that the fraternity informed the authorities about his disappearance.

On March 9, the police were called to the Tempo hotel due to a report about someone going missing. A friend of Riley’s phoned 911, informing the operator that one of Riley’s close friends was absent, as heard in a recording later obtained by WKRN. The caller stated that Riley’s last known phone location was near the river at around 11 p.m.

Speaking to WKRN, Chris said that upon reaching town on Saturday evening, we encountered an officer from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. In my opinion, this officer has been nothing short of exceptional. He actively made phone calls, contacted others via radio to inspect various locations while in our presence. Moreover, he made further phone calls and submitted a report, which swiftly appeared on the national database. I was greatly impressed by how efficiently things were managed, and his assistance was truly valuable.

According to a police report examined by CNN, Verizon Wireless identified the final signal from Riley’s phone as approximately 0.64 miles southwest of a cell tower situated at 19 Oldham Street, close to the river. However, a search in that region failed to yield any results.

Meanwhile, the family retroactively expressed frustration with Riley’s friends.

Michelle stated on NewsNation, April 16th, ‘Why didn’t they contact the authorities when they returned at 3:15 AM and didn’t find him there?’ My answer is, I’m not sure.

While Chris and Michelle were searching hospitals for Riley on March 9, it appears the fraternity members were still going ahead with their planned festivities.

Chris remarked, “We’re returning and they’re returning too; some of them were at a gathering and they’re waving at us while we’re in the pickup. What are your feelings about that?

On March 17th, it was reported by the police that two individuals assisting with the search had discovered Riley’s bank card located along the slope between Gay Street and the Cumberland River. [This statement conveys the same meaning as the original text, but in a more conversational and simplified style.]

On the following day, the authorities released the most recent video they’d acquired showing Riley from March 8th: He was spotted having a short conversation with an officer dealing with a car break-in on Gay Street, near the Cumberland River, at approximately 9:52 PM.

The officer, equipped with a body camera, inquired about Riley’s wellbeing, to which Riley responded, “I’m fine, and you?” before continuing on his way.

According to police spokesman Don Aaron, for those who speculate that he might have been in trouble or someone was following him while he walked along Gay Street, he appears to be walking alone in the video footage on the river side. In fact, he even engages in a conversation with a police officer who is inspecting a car that had been burglarized.

To this point, the officer stated that they hadn’t discovered any proof indicating that Riley was a victim of any untoward or harmful actions.

During a press conference held on March 19th, Chris announced that they were receiving aid from the United Cajun Navy – a volunteer organization specializing in disaster relief efforts.

He expressed gratitude beyond words for the support poured in by the community, media, and everyone else involved. Our aim remains steadfast: to reunite with Riley. We firmly believe this goal is still attainable. We have confidence in Dave [David Flagg, national director of operations for UCN], his team, and the volunteers they know, as they are highly skilled and will aid us in achieving our objective.

Sergeant Robert Nielsen emphasized to the press that they are actively pursuing leads and exerting every effort to locate Riley.

On March 20, the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office managed a “routine closure” at the Cheatham Lock and Dam, located where the Cumberland River meets Cheatham Lake, in relation to an ongoing search operation. Investigators were seen examining debris that surfaced later, as reported by WKRN.

On the same riverbank day, as per reports, Riley’s father, Ryan, was spotted on a watercraft with the United Cajun Navy elsewhere.

As an overly enthusiastic admirer, I couldn’t help but express, “I simply must be present,” I shared with WKRN. “I yearn to be on the water. Last week, I longed to be on the water, but other family members graciously took that role for me that day. Yet, I’m elated to be out here, as my heart’s desire is to be here, to be the one who discovers him.

At around 7:28 in the morning on March 22nd, a local worker phoned the police after spotting a corpse in the Cumberland River, located in Western Nashville. This information was shared by Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake during a press conference later that day.

According to the chief, the Davidson County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that the deceased was indeed Riley. His attire, a black-and-white shirt, along with other identifying items found on his body, such as a watch, supported this identification.

The chief expressed his sympathy, saying, “My deepest thoughts and hopes are with you all at this difficult time following the unfortunate and heartbreaking event.” Additionally, he acknowledged the kindness of the Nashville community, stating, “I’m grateful for the support shown by the community in assisting us in our search for Mr. Strain.

Based on his height and weight, investigators had calculated where and approximately when Riley’s body would resurface if he had entered the river. The chief stated, “Today marks the 14th day, which means we were anticipating any moment now to locate him. We were in the right area; it’s just a matter of bad luck.

He stated that no additional evidence points towards any scenario other than Riley falling into the river.

That particular afternoon, Riley’s father, mother, and stepfather were all dressed in green – his preferred hue – as they visited the police station, as reported by WKRN.

Addressing the media, Michelle urged, “If I may, I’d like to ask all the mothers out there to give their children a tight hug this evening. A heartfelt plea from me: Give your little ones a tight hug tonight. And once more, my gratitude for sharing our tale.

On March 23rd, an autopsy was conducted. It was confirmed by the police to TopMob News that a detective was present during this procedure. The cause of death remains consistent with an accident, showing no indications of any injuries suggestive of foul play. However, toxicology results are yet to be obtained.

During that time, it was reported on March 27 by NewsNation that Riley’s relatives engaged a separate organization to conduct an autonomous postmortem examination, as shared by family acquaintance Chris Dingman.

He commented that the initial autopsy showed no visible signs of violence, such as weapons like guns, knives, or any other instruments. However, they were able to conduct more detailed examinations on certain objects. Additionally, he mentioned a police report stating Riley wasn’t wearing jeans, boots, or had his wallet recovered.

Another unexpected event for the family was when the coroner publicly mentioned to a reporter in Nashville about the absence of water in the deceased’s lungs. This only adds to the mystery, as typically such a finding suggests that the person may have been alive when they entered the water. I’m not particularly fond of crime dramas, but this is usually an indication that…

Afterward, the family followed the customs of grieving: A visitation and life celebration took place on March 29 at Greenlawn Funeral Home in Springfield, Missouri. As per an online tribute honoring Riley’s “vibrant personality and caring disposition,” they are arranging a private funeral service for their final farewell.

The family requested that guests don green attire and dress casually for the event as a tribute to Riley’s zest for life.

For weeks now, Riley’s family has been tirelessly seeking answers regarding the unfortunate demise of their 22-year-old loved one.

Moreover, they mentioned that they are yet to get sufficient information about the events of March 8 from Riley’s companions.

Chris expressed his puzzlement during an interview with NewsNation on April 16th, saying, “It’s hard for me to fathom why they didn’t contact us, eager to share details about that night. It seems unusual to me; could it be that I’m mistaken, but shouldn’t they have been the ones reaching out to us, offering information about our missing brother instead of the other way around?

The family additionally expressed their intention to keep voicing their thoughts regarding the investigation until they receive satisfactory explanations.

Michelle remarked, “I have a void in my heart that remains, and I fear it always will. The mystery of that fateful night only intensifies my pain. Yet, I yearn to uncover all the details of that day.

In March 2025, Riley’s relatives took legal action by filing a lawsuit alleging wrongful death, naming the Delta Chi fraternity and several of its members at the University of Missouri as defendants due to their alleged negligence leading to Riley’s demise.

The family alleges that the fraternity, along with several of its members, is guilty of negligence and vicarious liability. They claim that the organization instills a culture among its fraternity members that encourages or teaches them to forsake each other rather than assisting one another.

They aim to have a jury trial, along with undetermined monetary compensation, and reimbursement for the distress they claim Riley endured prior to his passing at the age of 22. This includes emotional pain and physical suffering.

2025-03-25 19:18

Riley’s Family Sues Fraternity: ‘We Chose to Party’ After He Was Kicked Out Bar

Read More