A medical examiner has finally revealed Riley Strain‘s official cause of death.
The 22-year-old University of Missouri student died in Nashville on March 8 after an evening spent bar-hopping along Lower Broadway. The autopsy and toxicology report was made public on Tuesday morning (June 18) and contained specifics and surprises.
The report also addressed questions about if Strain was drugged.
- Riley Strain was kicked out of Luke’s 32 Bridge bar on Broadway and walked north toward the Cumberland River.
- His body was pulled from the river on March 22.
- Family has also ordered a second autopsy which has not been made public if completed.
Related: Riley Strain’s Obituary Reveals Heartbreaking New Details
Riley Strain Cause of Death Revealed:
Per an autopsy obtained by Nashville’s News Channel 5 and other media outlets, Riley Strain’s death was accidental. Fox 17 adds that Strain died from drowning and ethanol intoxication.
Ethanol intoxication is better known as alcohol poisoning. Per the Mayo Clinic, it’s often the result of binge drinking and happens when “a male rapidly consumes five or more alcoholic drinks within two hours or a female consumes at least four drinks within two hours.”
Riley Strain Toxicology Report:
This is where the surprises came. A toxicology report for Riley Strain shows he had a blood alcohol level of .228, which is nearly three times the legal limit to drive. He also had small amounts of a legal form of THC called Delta 9 in his system. This drug is available in Tennessee.
Strain family private investigator Steve Fischer shared detailed findings and a portion of the actual report on X (formerly Twitter). There he shares the toxicology report lists high levels of 11-Hydroxy Delta-9 THC, often found in edibles.
“11-Hydroxy delta-9 THC is known for its potent psychoactive effects, which are often considered more intense than those of delta-9 THC,” a summary reveals. His level was 5.5 with a reporting limit of 3.0.
The presence of legal THC explains a heated debate between two private investigators and their followers on social media. Family investigator Steve Fischer labeled Jennifer Coffindaffer’s message that there was no foul play and no drugs in Strain’s system as “lies.”
“The tweet from Coffindaffer is completely wrong,” he said.
These findings are consistent with what Metro Nashville Police have said since finding Strain’s body: there were no signs of foul play, and he most likely fell into the Cumberland River on his own.
Was Riley Strain Drugged?
Many who followed this investigation suspected Strain was drugged after his mother shared that he’d texted her with a description of a drink that tasted like barbecue. The toxicology report emphatically refutes this suggestion.
“Alcohol and drugs were detected in Riley’s toxicology however there was no Rohypnol or other CNS depressants used for ‘knock out’ or intentional foul play drugging were detected,” Fischer’s summary reads.
What’s Next for Riley Strain’s Family?
A second autopsy was ordered, and Strain’s family hired personal injury lawyers Morgan & Morgan to continue the investigation. No lawsuits have been filed yet.
There is likely to be a focus on when and where Strain was served drinks. Investigators have shared that he visited several bars prior to Luke’s 32 Bridge, but the owners of that establishment said they only served him one drink.
Fischer says his interviews are ongoing and he’ll likely deliver a report to the family in two weeks.
Billy Dukes is a Senior Editor and Executive Producer of Video Content at Taste of Country. He specializes in country music interviews, trend analysis and the Secret History of Country Music. Additionally, Billy covers Yellowstone, 1923 and related television shows through the Dutton Rules podcast. To date, he’s written more than 13,000 articles for Taste of Country and produced over 3,000 videos for the Taste of Country YouTube channel.
