WHERE IS RILEY STRAIN: BREAKING

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
19 Mar 202441:39

Summary

TLDRThe search for missing college student Riley Strain continues as his family and investigators desperately seek answers. The last known location of Riley's phone and the discovery of his credit card near a homeless encampment by a volunteer searcher have raised new questions about his disappearance. With no further activity on his cell phone or bank card, the case remains a mystery, prompting a call to action for anyone with information to come forward and help bring Riley home.

Takeaways

  • 🔍 The search for missing Riley Strain continues, with his mother pleading for help and information.
  • 📞 A 911 call was made by a friend reporting Riley missing, providing details about his appearance and last known location.
  • 📱 Riley's last known location was near the sheriff's office, with his phone not having network or service since 9:53 PM.
  • 😢 The family is devastated, with Riley's mother expressing a bad feeling about her son's disappearance.
  • 🤝 Chris Dingman, a close family friend, discusses the family's mindset and the efforts to find Riley since his sudden disappearance.
  • 🔎 Brandy Banan, a volunteer searcher, may have found a crucial physical clue, which is believed to be Riley's credit card.
  • 🚨 The area where Riley's card was found is known for a homeless encampment and potential drug activity.
  • 🧐 The lack of any further activity on Riley's phone or bank card since his disappearance raises questions about his whereabouts.
  • 🎥 Surveillance video footage shows Riley walking and jogging, with some irregularities in his gait and movements.
  • 👮‍♂️ A police officer encountered Riley during his walk, but reported nothing out of the ordinary and no signs of distress.
  • 📞 The tip line 6158628600 is available for anyone with information regarding Riley Strain's disappearance.

Q & A

  • What is the main focus of this transcript?

    -The main focus of this transcript is the search for a missing person named Riley Strain and the efforts being made to find him, including the involvement of his family, law enforcement, and the community.

  • Who is speaking at the beginning of the transcript?

    -Nancy Grace is speaking at the beginning of the transcript. She is a television host and legal analyst known for covering crime stories.

  • What was Riley Strain's last known location?

    -Riley Strain's last known location was near the sheriff's office, as indicated by the last ping from his phone around 11 p.m.

  • What was the significance of the 911 call in the transcript?

    -The 911 call is significant because it provides firsthand information about the initial report of Riley Strain's disappearance and the details provided by his friend at the time of the call.

  • What is the role of Chris Dingman in this case?

    -Chris Dingman is a close family friend of the Strains and a spokesperson for Riley's family, providing updates and sharing information about the ongoing search for Riley.

  • What was the description of Riley Strain's clothing when he went missing?

    -Riley Strain was last seen wearing jeans, boots, and a half black and half light brown shirt.

  • What was the reaction of Riley's parents upon learning about his disappearance?

    -Riley's parents were devastated and immediately took action to report him missing and travel to the area where he was last seen.

  • What was the significance of the credit card found by a volunteer searcher?

    -The credit card found by a volunteer searcher was significant because it belonged to Riley Strain and was found in an area near where he was last seen, suggesting that it could be linked to his disappearance.

  • What is the theory regarding Riley Strain's state of mind before he went missing?

    -The theory is that Riley may have been disoriented and walking in the wrong direction, leading him to an area with a homeless encampment where his bank card was later found.

  • What was the condition of Riley Strain's credit card when it was found?

    -The credit card was found in relatively good condition, not weathered or dirty, which was unusual considering it had been potentially exposed to the elements for several days.

  • What was the significance of the surveillance video in the investigation?

    -The surveillance video provided crucial information about Riley Strain's movements on the night he went missing, including his interactions with others and his general state of being, which could help in determining what happened to him.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 The Disappearance of Riley Strain

Nancy Grace opens the segment by highlighting the deepening mystery surrounding the disappearance of Riley Strain. The emotional plea from Riley's mother sets a somber tone, emphasizing the community's efforts to find him. Nancy stresses the importance of factual analysis in such emotional cases, sharing the initial 911 call made by Riley's friend. This call reveals crucial details about Riley's last known whereabouts and physical description, setting the stage for a detailed discussion on the search efforts and the circumstances leading up to Riley's disappearance.

05:00

💔 A Family's Desperation

Nancy narrates the distressing moment Riley's family learns of his disappearance, underscoring the magnitude of their shock and quick mobilization to find him. Chris Dingman, a family friend, joins the conversation, sharing insights into the family's devastation and the peculiar circumstances surrounding Riley's sudden vanishing. The narrative reflects the family's commitment to Riley's well-being and their determined search, despite the absence of clues and the emotional toll it takes on them.

10:01

🕵️‍♂️ Investigative Insights and a Critical Clue

Nancy engages with Dryden Quigley, an investigative reporter, to dissect the area where Riley was last seen. They discuss the precarious environment near the Cumberland River, known for its homeless encampments and potential dangers. Amidst this, a significant breakthrough is shared: a volunteer searcher discovers Riley's bank card, marking the first substantial clue in his disappearance. This finding introduces a glimmer of hope and a renewed fervor to unravel the mystery of Riley's fate.

15:01

🧩 Piecing Together the Puzzle

Nancy elaborates on the emotional and physical landscape surrounding the discovery of Riley's bank card. The card, found in an unlikely and treacherous location, suggests foul play and raises questions about the circumstances leading to Riley's disappearance. The segment captures the raw emotion and determination of the search party, emphasizing the importance of this clue in the ongoing investigation and the collective effort to understand what happened to Riley.

20:04

🚨 A Community's Call to Action

The conversation shifts to a broader discussion on the community's role in search efforts, underscored by a volunteer's testimony about the conditions under which Riley's bank card was found. Nancy critiques the hazardous environment and challenges faced by the searchers, highlighting the complexities of the search area. This part of the segment calls attention to the communal and individual responsibilities in contributing to the search for Riley, stressing the urgency and the need for collective vigilance.

25:04

🔎 Advancing the Investigation

Nancy and guests delve into the immediate aftermath of the discovery of Riley's bank card, discussing the implications for the investigation. They examine the cleanliness of the card, suggesting it was placed rather than lost, and the potential for further evidence in the vicinity. The segment also highlights the involvement of law enforcement and the importance of securing the area for a thorough investigation, underscoring the meticulous nature of such inquiries.

30:07

👁️ New Evidence and Unanswered Questions

Nancy presents new surveillance footage showing Riley before his disappearance, adding layers to the mystery. Discussions with Chris Dingman and experts analyze Riley's movements, the sequence of events leading to his last known location, and the condition of his bank card. The segment raises critical questions about the circumstances of Riley's disappearance, the involvement of other individuals, and the potential scenarios that could have unfolded that night.

35:10

🕊️ The Power of Community in Solving Crimes

The final segment underscores the crucial role of community involvement and citizen sleuths in uncovering vital clues in missing persons cases. Nancy Grace reflects on the impact of crowd-sourced information and the collective effort in the search for Riley Strain. She emphasizes the ongoing need for public engagement and the potential for additional witnesses to come forward, illustrating the significant contribution of the community in aiding law enforcement and bringing closure to such cases.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Riley Strain

Riley Strain is the missing person at the center of the narrative. He is described as a young man who was last seen during a fraternity formal trip. His disappearance has led to an extensive search and investigation, with his family and community members actively participating in efforts to find him. His character is painted as innocent and well-loved, with no history of drug use or legal trouble.

💡Missing Person

A 'missing person' refers to an individual who has disappeared and whose whereabouts are unknown. In the context of this video, Riley Strain is the missing person, and the focus is on the efforts to locate him following his unexplained disappearance. The term encompasses the urgency and concern surrounding his absence, as well as the collective actions taken by law enforcement, the media, and the public to find him.

💡Crime Stories

Crime Stories is the title of the show hosted by Nancy Grace, where true crime cases are discussed, and updates on ongoing investigations are provided. It serves as a platform for victims' families to share their stories and for the public to stay informed about criminal cases. In this instance, it is the program through which the disappearance of Riley Strain is being discussed.

💡Investigation

An investigation refers to the systematic process of gathering and analyzing information or evidence in order to uncover facts about a crime or a missing person. In the context of this video, the investigation into Riley Strain's disappearance involves reviewing surveillance footage, following leads from the public, and searching for physical evidence that might provide clues to his whereabouts.

💡Surveillance Footage

Surveillance footage is video recorded by security cameras for the purpose of monitoring and observing public or private spaces. In the context of this video, surveillance footage is crucial as it provides visual information about Riley Strain's movements before he went missing, helping to piece together his last known actions and potentially leading to clues about his disappearance.

💡Volunteer Searcher

A volunteer searcher is an individual who participates in the search for a missing person without being professionally employed or obligated to do so. They often contribute their time and effort out of concern for the missing person and a desire to assist in the search. In this video, volunteer searchers play a significant role by conducting ground searches and even finding crucial evidence like Riley Strain's credit card.

💡Tip Line

A tip line is a dedicated telephone number set up to receive information from the public related to a specific crime or missing person case. It is a tool used in investigations to gather leads and is often advertised in the media to encourage community involvement. In the context of this video, the tip line is a crucial resource for the investigation into Riley Strain's disappearance, allowing anyone with information to contribute to the search.

💡Homeless Encampment

A homeless encampment refers to a makeshift community of people living in poverty without permanent housing, often in temporary shelters like tents. These encampments can be found in various urban and rural areas and are often associated with social issues such as drug use and crime. In the video, the homeless encampment is significant because it is the location where Riley Strain's bank card was found, suggesting a possible connection to his disappearance.

💡Credit Card

A credit card is a payment card issued by a financial institution that allows cardholders to borrow funds to pay for goods and services using credit. In the context of this video, Riley Strain's credit card is found in a suspicious location, which is a pivotal piece of evidence in the investigation of his disappearance. The card's presence and condition raise questions about the circumstances surrounding his last known movements.

💡Fraternity

A fraternity is a brotherhood of male students at colleges and universities, often involved in social, philanthropic, and networking activities. In this video, Riley Strain was a member of a fraternity and was last seen during a formal event associated with it. His fraternity brothers were among the first to realize he was missing and to alert his family.

Highlights

The ongoing search for missing Riley Strain, a 22-year-old college student, continues to deepen as new details emerge.

Riley's mother is pleading for help, expressing her desperation after not hearing from her son for over a week.

The last known location of Riley was near the sheriff's office, as indicated by the last ping on his phone at 9:53 p.m.

Riley was last seen wearing jeans, boots, and a half-black, half-brown shirt, and was at Luke Bryan's bar the night before his disappearance.

The family was notified of Riley's disappearance by his fraternity brothers, leading to an immediate response from his parents to report him missing.

A volunteer searcher, Brandy Banan, may have found the single most important physical clue, which is Riley's bank card, in a challenging terrain near a homeless encampment by the river.

The area where Riley's card was found is known for a homeless encampment, with potential drug use and is considered dangerous.

Riley had no history of drug use, making the discovery of his card in such an area even more concerning.

The terrain where the card was found is described as having multiple ledges, mud, rocks, and garbage, including needles, making it unlikely for the card to have ended up there accidentally.

The card found was not weathered or dirty, suggesting it hadn't been there for long, and its discovery could be a significant lead in the case.

A homeless person reported hearing a commotion around the time Riley might have been in the area, which could be a crucial detail for the investigation.

Surveillance video shows Riley walking normally, coherent, and not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, challenging initial theories about his disappearance.

Riley was seen on video jogging and then tripping, which could indicate he was trying to avoid something or someone.

The investigation has utilized canines, sonar, helicopters, drones, and volunteer searchers, highlighting the extensive efforts to find Riley.

There is a narrow timeline of Riley's movements from the bar to the riverbank, with gaps in the surveillance footage raising questions about his final hours.

The absence of any cell phone or bank card activity since Riley's disappearance suggests a sudden stop in his activities.

The ongoing search for Riley Strain involves a collaborative effort between law enforcement, the community, and citizen investigators.

Transcripts

00:00

at this hour the mystery deepens in the

00:04

search for missing Riley strain I'm

00:08

Nancy Grace this is crime stories thank

00:10

you for being with us here at crime

00:12

stories and on serus

00:14

xm11 how can you turn a deaf ear to this

00:20

listen I haven't talked to my boy for

00:23

over a

00:24

week and his

00:27

hard you say to somebody that gives up

00:29

part of their life to help you find your

00:33

life it's

00:35

amazing thank you for getting the word

00:38

out and keeping the word out and please

00:40

keep don't stop sharing don't stop

00:43

sharing till we bring Riley home please

00:46

just

00:49

continue I've got such a bad feeling

00:53

where is

00:55

Riley this kid scrubbed in sunshine this

01:00

is the boy every mom wants their boy to

01:05

be like okay the apple of his family's

01:10

eye you were hearing his mother begging

01:12

and pleading crying trying to speak

01:15

through tears asking us to help tipline

01:21

6158628600 repeat

01:24

6158628600

01:26

now is the time for us to act in the

01:31

search for Riley strain and I've got to

01:34

tell you a hundred A Thousand Times

01:38

Mothers would come to me at trial and

01:42

even now begging for

01:45

help but at trial you have to keep a

01:48

clear head unclouded with emotion and

01:51

look at the facts in order to help the

01:54

family I want you to hear the original

01:58

911 call

02:01

listen who is it that you're wanting to

02:03

report is missing it's we're here on a

02:06

fraternity formal trip it's it's one of

02:07

my good buddies okay what is his name

02:11

his name is Riley strain Riley r i l e y

02:16

strain s r a i n okay is he white black

02:21

Hispanic Asian he's white he's white uh

02:24

22y old 65

02:28

blonde

02:30

okay and what was he last scene

02:33

wearing outside of Luke Bryan's bar last

02:36

night at like 10 and then the last time

02:40

his location on his phone was by the

02:42

sheriff's office at like 11 p.m. okay

02:47

and what color clothing was he last SE

02:49

wearing he's wearing jeans boots and a a

02:53

half black shirt half brown light

02:55

brown you're hearing uh a good friend of

02:58

Riley strange calling 911 and how ironic

03:01

is that one of his last pings the

03:04

location on the phone was at the

03:06

sheriff's office in front of near around

03:09

the Sheriff's Office no network or phone

03:12

service since

03:15

953 p.m. where is Riley joining me in

03:20

Allstar panel to make sense of what we

03:22

know right now I'm going to play you

03:24

more of the 911 call because I have

03:27

learned with uh working with so many

03:29

many juries as a felony prosecutor that

03:32

takes you to the moment and you can

03:34

learn so much about probative facts

03:38

facts that prove something that help you

03:40

find the person but first I want to go

03:42

to a special guest joining us Chris

03:44

Dingman uh a very dear family friend of

03:49

the strains and you can find them on

03:51

GoFundMe at Riley strain Chris thank you

03:55

for being with us what is the frame of

03:58

mind of the family right now in the

04:00

search for their

04:02

son uh the family's completely

04:04

devastated you know we're 10 11 days

04:06

into this uh really Ry just disappeared

04:10

in thin air and we we try to keep faith

04:13

we keep hope uh the ironic part of not

04:16

having Clues means we have hope he's

04:19

still there lost somebody may know where

04:22

he is um but it is truly devastating on

04:25

the

04:26

family and shortly speaking of Clues we

04:29

are going to be joined by the woman who

04:32

may have found the single most important

04:34

clue as of right now uh back to you

04:37

Chris Dingman a very dear friend and

04:41

spokesman for Riley's family how did

04:44

this whole thing unfold when did Riley's

04:46

parents discover he's missing I mean

04:48

it's every parents worst nightmare you

04:50

know Chris I work every day sometimes

04:54

holding down two sometimes three jobs

04:58

because I want to make a college fund

05:00

for my children to to get through high

05:03

school you know give them tutors if they

05:05

need it get them to college give them

05:07

every

05:08

opportunity that a lot of people

05:10

including myself never had to make it

05:13

easier for them so Riley gets to college

05:18

he's doing great he makes friends in his

05:21

fraternity I think it was Delta Kai

05:23

everything's going fine he goes on their

05:26

formal which all the college kids do and

05:30

all of a sudden mom gets the call he's

05:33

gone I mean how does that happen you put

05:35

all your love all your energy all your

05:38

money everything into helping your

05:40

children you think going to college is

05:42

the thing to do and Bam he's gone what

05:48

happened yeah the the family was

05:50

actually notified at about 10:30

05:52

Saturday morning uh by his fraternity

05:54

Brothers uh wanting to know if they had

05:56

heard from Riley because as we all know

05:59

now he did not come back to his hotel

06:00

room uh the family instantly told the

06:02

boys please contacted the police go down

06:05

to the police station uh they started

06:07

packing a few clothes together

06:09

constantly reaching out for Riley hopped

06:12

in a car and started heading that way

06:14

this process of reporting Riley missing

06:16

started actually at 10:30 Saturday

06:19

morning and an official report that we

06:22

have been shown didn't take place till 1

06:25

140 sometime in that area that's how

06:27

long it took uh for the boys to actually

06:30

get somebody to file an official Report

06:32

with a lot of confusion on why that took

06:35

that uh but yeah the family was actually

06:37

notified about 10:30 Saturday

06:39

morning okay guys you're hearing Chris

06:42

Dingman joining us uh very dear friend

06:46

of the Riley strain Family Guys I want

06:48

to hear more of that 911 call then we're

06:50

heading straight out to Dryden Quigley

06:53

WSMV a four investigative reporter for

06:56

the very latest but let's hear the 911

07:00

call listen and you said it last showed

07:03

outside the sheriff's department like

07:06

around that area by the river by the

07:07

sheriff's department over there okay

07:10

does he have any life sustaining

07:12

medications or disabilities no you said

07:16

he he has a phone so it's a cell phone

07:19

right yeah it's an iPhone 15 Pro Max

07:22

what is the number but it's um hold on

07:27

all right are you ready yes go ahead

07:32

you said the last four were

07:36

4198 yes

07:39

okay and are you going to be waiting

07:41

there the at the door of the precinct

07:44

are you going to be waiting in your car

07:46

I mean yeah we're at the front door of

07:47

the precinct okay I've got the call sent

07:50

there at the central Precinct 601 Korean

07:52

Veterans Boulevard and downtown right

07:54

across the Music City Center we'll get

07:56

an officer out to you as soon as we can

07:58

please call us back to something changes

08:00

before they

08:01

arrive so when you look back when you

08:04

look back on everything that happens in

08:08

every case you think would have could

08:10

have should have they should have done

08:11

the report earlier we should have this

08:13

we should have

08:14

that bottom line Riley strain is missing

08:18

his parents asking us for their help

08:21

again tip line

08:24

6158628600

08:25

so Chris Dingman you're telling me that

08:29

the mom and or dad get a message the

08:33

following morning at 10ish

08:36

a.m. they ask the fraternity brother

08:40

quick quick go report him missing right

08:43

now and they head to the area is that

08:47

correct yes yes they were in Springfield

08:49

Missouri where you know Riley was born

08:51

and raised and and that's where we are

08:53

and uh instantly when a parent gets that

08:55

message you know you're mortified uh

08:58

what's going on you know especially when

09:00

you're six or seven hours away from your

09:01

kid you know and they uh they hopped in

09:04

a vehicle threw some clothes together uh

09:06

was constantly trying to reach out to

09:09

Riley on their Journey there with uh

09:12

unfortunately no no response oh cool you

09:16

know what that's reminded me of Chris

09:18

Dingman uh I'm in New York uh where we

09:22

live with the children uh at that time

09:25

they're about oh gosh eight nine years

09:28

old had just has gotten them to bed and

09:32

get a call my dad is on life support I

09:36

get one sentence off to him daddy I'm on

09:38

the way within 15 minutes we were out on

09:41

the street in pajamas trying to Hell a

09:44

cab all right and the whole way trying

09:47

to get back home to make Georgia just in

09:52

fits tight up in knots I can only

09:55

imagine what Riley's parents were going

09:57

through as they drove all the way to

10:00

where he goes missing and speaking of

10:03

straight out to Dryden Quigley

10:04

investigative reporter WS

10:07

MV4 Dryden thank you for being with us

10:10

first of all describe the area where we

10:12

believe Riley went missing guys I'm

10:14

about to go to the woman who was found

10:17

what could be the single most important

10:19

physical clue yet uh go ahead Dryden so

10:24

the last place that he was spotted on

10:25

the video camera it's kind of up a

10:28

street and it's going along the

10:30

Cumberland River where there's a pretty

10:31

steep drop off down there um different

10:35

areas have steeper than other parts but

10:37

you can last see him Crossing this

10:39

street and kind of heading up towards

10:41

under these two Bridges where he's last

10:44

seen you know I'm very curious is it

10:47

true Dryden Quigley WSMV 4 that Riley

10:52

was headed toward a homeless

10:55

encampment so along that drop off

10:58

between the Gay Street and Cumberland

11:01

River there's this bank and it is where

11:04

a lot of people spend the night and

11:05

sleep along there and then under the two

11:07

Bridges as well yes what people what

11:10

people what Boy Scout campers who is

11:13

staying out there under

11:15

bridges people yeah who don't have

11:17

anywhere else to go you know there's a

11:18

lot of trash down there too and so that

11:20

comes into play later when looking for

11:22

Riley's possessions

11:24

too is it true that drugs are used in

11:29

that area by the homeless

11:32

people I can't say that for sure I

11:34

haven't seen it myself but I would

11:36

believe it's possible

11:39

yeah so did he realize he's headed for

11:44

an encampment of homeless people where J

11:47

Drugs apparently are used openly as we

11:52

have seen now developing across the

11:56

country guys we have been playing the

11:59

911 calls we're telling you the very

12:02

latest of what you know but now I want

12:05

you to hear from a volunteer search

12:08

Searcher Brandy banan who lives in

12:11

Nashville and possibly has found the

12:14

single most important physical clue yet

12:18

I'm so grateful Brandy could speak to us

12:22

uh first of all listen to what she tells

12:25

us regarding what she was looking for

12:28

when she found the clue we were looking

12:31

for either his boots shirt um he has a

12:35

bright blue wallet any of those

12:37

indications um but we went down the and

12:42

we went down to the embankment and

12:43

walked along the river until we got to

12:45

underneath the bridge which is one of

12:47

the last um known facilities that he was

12:50

in and we started just digging around

12:53

rummaging as much as we can and about I

12:55

want to say we were there into that part

12:57

for maybe 20 or 30

12:59

minutes and there's about three Ledges

13:02

and on the third bottom ledge um which

13:06

it's very hard to explain so I'm sorry

13:07

if that is hard to

13:09

imagine Anna saw a card right there and

13:13

flipped it over to look at the backside

13:14

because it was just a like the bank on

13:16

the front and saw his name and she goes

13:19

oh my God we found his card and I was

13:21

like no we didn't and right there we

13:23

were both instantly shocked our stomachs

13:26

dropped and then we were both like we

13:28

have to keep going like this means we

13:30

have to keep

13:31

going I can't imagine what what went

13:35

through everyone's Minds when they

13:37

realize they have found evidence Liz we

13:40

actually have video and sound of that

13:44

Discovery everybody

13:45

listen I don't think they do right here

13:48

or at least where that guy's tent does

13:51

cuz he's talking about how cold what I

13:54

found his C you found his credit card we

13:57

found his credit card we got to hang up

13:58

we got to hang up the phone oh my God

14:00

guys I I I'm just trying to take in that

14:03

moment where they find the piece of

14:05

evidence and I want to make something

14:07

very very clear Chris

14:11

Dingman this young boy Riley strain has

14:15

no history at all ever of drug use um

14:21

never has been thrown out of school

14:23

never has been in treatment never not

14:26

not even a a disorderly conduct crossing

14:29

the street jaywalking nothing isn't that

14:32

true Chris

14:34

Dingman 100% yeah Riley was his

14:36

straightforward kid you know we've had a

14:38

lot of people be you know question us

14:41

and go I can't believe he's that good of

14:43

a kid and and all you have to do is ever

14:45

be just a little bit of his life just a

14:47

blimp meet him anywhere and you

14:50

instantly knew that the pictures that

14:51

everybody's been sharing with him

14:53

smiling that truly was that kid uh he

14:56

was an awesome boy and and we want him

14:58

back and he is an awesome

15:01

boy you know you just brought me to

15:03

tears because it reminds me so much of

15:06

my son John David people are always

15:08

saying how can one kid

15:11

be so good natured and and so joyful I

15:15

mean you know what his nickname is here

15:17

at the house awesome his nickname is

15:20

awesome and um just thinking about him

15:24

completely innocent I mean Dr Bethany

15:26

Marshall uh joining me high-profile

15:28

Psych analyst joining us out of LA and

15:31

you can find her at Dr Bethany

15:33

marshall.com Dr

15:36

Bethany when I talk about this homeless

15:40

encampment and how drugs allegedly are

15:44

being openly sold and used this is not

15:48

about

15:49

Riley going down to get drugs he has no

15:53

history of that at all zero he was out

15:57

with his friends on the fraternity

16:00

formal weekend he get wanders off alone

16:05

and this is where his bank card is found

16:09

it's like a lamb being led to the

16:12

slaughter Dr

16:13

Bethany exactly Nancy it sounds to me

16:16

like Riley was extremely disoriented he

16:19

thought he was going back to his hotel

16:21

room he no longer had his friends with

16:23

him and he was simply walking the wrong

16:26

direction and he walked right into the

16:28

jaws of danger I mean what happens in

16:30

these homeless encampments is that they

16:32

are communities Nancy and everybody in

16:35

the homeless encampment tends to know

16:37

each other they watch out after each

16:39

other they sometimes exchange food they

16:42

they look after each other's kids

16:43

they're like little tiny cities so when

16:46

Riley walked into the situation are you

16:49

talking about woman I mean Dr Bethany

16:53

this is not a a commune where they're

16:56

raising organic food and singing Kum by

16:59

yah every night

17:00

they're God bless them for their

17:03

Misfortune but there are drugs being

17:06

openly sold hard drugs needle drugs Beth

17:11

I don't know what world you're coming

17:12

from well Nancy my had a Min out high

17:17

school I know that work with the hom too

17:21

but the last thing I'm going to do is in

17:23

John David and Lucy under a bridge

17:25

absolutely absolutely well what I was

17:27

going to say was that

17:29

the fact that he was not a part of this

17:31

group and he walked in made him

17:33

extremely vulnerable it was a very

17:36

precarious situation walking into a

17:38

group of desperate people and this is

17:40

like a child like a little lamb being

17:42

led to the slaughter he did not know

17:44

what he was getting

17:46

into guys I want to Circle back to what

17:48

we know uh again a volunteer Searcher

17:53

who spends her own valuable private time

17:56

helping in the search for Riley has

17:58

found a very significant piece of

18:01

physical evidence it's Brandy ban

18:03

volunteer Searcher and I want you to

18:07

hear what she has to say about why

18:10

Brandy is searching for

18:14

Riley I personally started going out

18:16

Tuesday night I went out Wednesday

18:18

Thursday Friday um Saturday Sunday um I

18:22

was doing some Tik Tok lives with a

18:24

friend while I was searching because I

18:26

was kind of going on my own and Anna

18:28

happened to see one of those Tik Tok

18:30

lives and she messaged me and asked if

18:32

she could come join the next day and she

18:34

did and that gave me um that gave me the

18:38

ability to be able to go all the way

18:39

down to the embankment because I

18:40

couldn't just do it with myself in case

18:42

something were to happen no one would

18:44

know or my friend on Tik Tok wouldn't

18:48

really be able to help me so Anna was

18:50

brave enough to go down with that with

18:51

me and so we went searching and we

18:54

happened to find

18:56

something there is no way in a e l no

19:00

way n h eou l that Riley train did you

19:03

hear what she just said that she didn't

19:06

know if she was brave enough to go down

19:09

down the slope into that area she was

19:14

afraid and that is in broad daylight and

19:18

here walks in Riley into this area late

19:22

late at night what happened to him where

19:25

is he I I need to get a clearer picture

19:28

sure about exactly where the bank card

19:32

was found let's listen to Brandy banan

19:36

it was in an embankment so there was

19:38

like a there's brick a brick wall

19:40

because there is a u so we're underneath

19:42

the bridge so then there if you're up on

19:44

the sidewalk there's a fence and there's

19:46

a brick wall that comes down if you're

19:48

under the embankment then and then that

19:50

brick wall kind of turns into some mud

19:53

and rocks trees and then that goes into

19:55

another ledge similar ledge which goes

19:58

into another one which then goes into

20:01

rocks which then turns into the river so

20:03

it was in that third little ledge of mud

20:08

dirt and then you have to in right now

20:10

in Nashville it is full of garbage there

20:13

so we were actually raging through trash

20:17

absolute trash everything that you can

20:19

imagine um including things that were

20:21

dangerous to us like we saw some needles

20:23

and things like

20:26

that yeah Bethany the peace loving

20:29

people down under that bridge and their

20:31

hypodermic needles it'd be a cold day in

20:33

Hell before I would let my children go

20:35

down there and here's Riley strain and

20:38

he's basically straight out of high

20:39

school and there he goes but hold on I'm

20:41

just trying to get an understanding

20:44

about what Brandy banan is saying

20:46

because from what she's describing there

20:48

is no way that that bank card of Riley

20:51

strange could have fallen in that

20:54

location uh let me understand no listen

20:57

what Brandy ban and says about the

21:01

card's

21:04

location I personally do not think that

21:07

that card could have landed there from

21:11

just like stumbling and losing a card

21:14

out of your hand because it would have

21:15

had to go down a few Ledges now it it

21:18

has been some time that's passed since

21:22

the eth and then we did have rain on the

21:27

exact week after that that Friday so I

21:31

don't know what that would do at all if

21:35

that would affect it at all but when we

21:37

found the card it wasn't actually

21:40

covered up that much there was some

21:43

leaves um and she saw the blue in it

21:47

guys we're trying to determine the

21:51

significance of the location of Riley

21:54

strains bank card and I I I have a

21:58

reason for doing this I remember in one

22:01

murder case and the guy was a serial

22:02

killer but I could get him on one case

22:05

it was

22:07

janeo and I found one of her earrings in

22:10

a particular location and the fact that

22:13

it was there proved volumes to me I

22:18

learned that that was a tertiary crime

22:20

scene which led me then to the secondary

22:23

and the primary crime scene because of

22:25

that one earring now let's think what

22:29

this bank card means Liz if you don't

22:31

mind I'd like to see the video with the

22:33

sound again of when they find the bank

22:36

card let let's watch that I don't think

22:39

they do right here or at least where

22:41

that guy's tent does because he's

22:43

talking about how cold

22:46

what you found his credit card we found

22:49

his credit card we got to hang up we got

22:50

to hang up the phone oh my

22:53

god did you see that terrain did you see

22:57

those rocks Riley strain was not going

23:01

on a leisurely stroll amongst these

23:05

rocks down by the river that did not

23:08

happen and back to Dryden Quigley

23:11

joining us investigative reporter WSMV

23:14

for Nashville I understand that one of

23:17

the homeless gentlemen that was there

23:22

claims that he heard a quote commotion

23:25

around the time we believe Riley strain

23:28

may have been there what can you tell me

23:30

about that dren so I didn't speak with

23:33

that homeless person myself but it has

23:35

been reported that yes he was he during

23:39

around that time he heard a commotion

23:41

after he saw Riley walk through there

23:43

that's all he said about it or was

23:45

reported about it but I didn't speak

23:47

with him

23:48

myself also emerging in the search for

23:52

Riley strain is surveillance video but

23:55

first I want to ask Chris Dingman Chris

23:58

uh very dear family friend of the strain

24:00

and speaking for them Chris what is the

24:04

reaction from the parents regarding the

24:06

discovery that Braden made of the bank

24:11

card I'm extremely happy you're asking

24:14

me that I actually uh had friends of the

24:18

family that was very close to the young

24:20

ladies when they found it um I got a

24:23

phone call Sunday afternoon uh they were

24:26

super excited they go we found this car

24:28

and I said can you go to them they were

24:30

within about a 100 yards of each other

24:33

and she said yeah and I said do me a

24:35

favor I said I know the bank that Riley

24:37

uses uh unfortunately and you've dealt

24:39

with this a lot uh there are a lot of

24:42

people that will do fake cards fake IDs

24:45

and throw them in crime scenes just to

24:48

be cruel and uh I notified the family uh

24:52

the young ladies instantly took a

24:54

picture of the card sent to me I knew at

24:57

that moment that's right card I I

24:59

contacted the family said hey this is

25:02

the pinpoint they've dropped me a pin uh

25:04

one of the young ladies I asked her I

25:05

said please D 911 uh I'm going to get a

25:08

hold of the family the other person that

25:11

uh contacted me she was actually in a

25:13

close proximity of some police that were

25:15

actually there with uh canines and had

25:18

been searching the area a little bit

25:20

farther away um I I told her I said

25:24

please go get the police take them

25:26

directly to those young ladies uh we

25:28

need to secure that area um and the

25:32

young girls as you've kind of heard in

25:33

their voices they were just estatic they

25:36

were nervous they were scared and I told

25:39

her I said I need you to do something

25:41

for me please I said you're about to be

25:43

bombarded with 100 plus people you guys

25:45

were live on Tik Tok everybody kind of

25:48

has a ballpark idea where you are I need

25:50

that crime scene secured please if

25:53

people come up there tell them to stand

25:55

back uh till the police get here so we

25:57

can do a for investigation in that exact

26:00

area one thing that struck out to me I

26:03

don't know if you have physically seen

26:04

the picture of the card and I'm glad the

26:07

young lady brought that up and we

26:08

discussed this that card is not dirty

26:12

it's not filthy for a card that have

26:13

been laying on the ground for nine days

26:17

not in the water or even remotely close

26:19

to the water in essence to the storms

26:21

that they had there's constant moisture

26:23

down there there's constant wind flow

26:25

down there and there was no visible

26:28

signs of you know the Frisbee the kids

26:31

leave the frisbee out in the yard two

26:33

days later you go out it's covered in

26:35

Dew and and a little dirt particles that

26:38

that seemed to me to be very very

26:40

strange so I would love to see your take

26:42

on

26:43

that you know I find that very

26:45

interesting the point that you're

26:47

bringing out that the card was not

26:48

weathered at all joining me is Steve

26:51

fiser missing person's private

26:54

investigator search and rescue

26:56

specialist owner of search investigation

26:58

ations find it at search investigations.

27:01

org Steve fiser thank you for being with

27:03

us what does that tell you I find it

27:05

very

27:06

probative uh I think one thing that's

27:08

important to realize is that the uh

27:10

River levels on the at 10 p.m uh night

27:14

he went missing uh were 7 feet higher

27:17

than when the women found the card so

27:20

the water level was significantly higher

27:22

which is why you see the different color

27:23

the darker rocks so it's a controlled

27:26

River um they had let a of uh you know

27:29

outflow out of it so that could have

27:32

been submerged and simply the water

27:34

level coming down and that would account

27:36

for why the cart is so clean and where

27:39

it's at on hold on Steve fiser what

27:41

about the fact as we just heard from

27:43

Braden that it was wedged in it it

27:48

didn't get there

27:51

innocently from what I understood I did

27:53

watch the video of when they uncovered

27:54

it I think it was under some uh a little

27:57

bit of debris

28:00

and you know we'll never know for

28:02

certain but in search and rescue you

28:04

know we're looking for the last known uh

28:07

position and it's the same spot that the

28:10

cell phone um last pinged at on Life 360

28:14

you were originally told it was uh 50 to

28:17

100 feet south on the south side of that

28:19

bridge which is right where this card

28:21

ended up also so I think um you know

28:26

there's a likelihood that it just could

28:27

be the water flow is the reason that it

28:29

was found on the embankment Ben Powers

28:32

is joining us high-profile lawyer out of

28:35

Nashville and you can find him at legal

28:38

powers.com Ben Powers thank you so much

28:41

for being with us what can you tell us

28:43

about your knowledge of the case and

28:45

your insight into what's happening right

28:47

now well so right now it sounds like the

28:49

investigation has locked in a really

28:52

narrow timeline of how that evening went

28:56

you know from being removed from the bar

28:58

to the various surveillance footage uh

29:01

to the Ping from the cell phone all the

29:03

way to the debit card down at the

29:04

riverbank uh the debit card at the

29:06

riverbank is curious because it's not

29:09

with his wallet there's no other

29:11

possessions with him and it was found

29:12

amongst what we might call trash but

29:14

since it is a homeless encampment that

29:17

could be personal possessions of someone

29:19

that lives down there maybe they were

29:20

trying to discard the debit card or

29:23

maybe there's no F play at all uh it's a

29:25

little too early to try to make a

29:27

determination one where the other as to

29:29

that type of conclusion but the

29:31

investigation has been very thorough uh

29:33

they've used Canin they've used snow

29:35

sonar they've used helicopters they've

29:38

used drones volunteers as the volunteers

29:40

that found the debit card so it is a

29:42

very thorough extensive investigation

29:45

it's just that this narrow time frame is

29:47

so curious because they have him on

29:50

video going down Gay Street but they

29:52

don't have him on video at the

29:55

courthouse which is just at the other

29:57

end of the uh Gay Street where the video

29:59

last saw him and they have an officer

30:01

that was on scene investigating a claim

30:04

of vehicle burglary he didn't hear or

30:06

see anything out of the ordinary and

30:09

they do have one of the benefits of that

30:11

Homeless encampment is as has already

30:13

been stated there's at least one witness

30:15

that heard some commotion but that's a

30:18

relatively large community down there so

30:21

I suspect there's other witnesses that

30:23

just haven't come forward yet with what

30:25

may have happened that

30:26

evening well luckily in this case we

30:30

also have grainy surveillance video that

30:34

is emerging guys I want you to see the

30:37

most recent surveillance video we have

30:41

Dryden Quigley we see okay hold on just

30:44

a

30:46

moment guys this is the most recent

30:50

video surveillance that we have obtained

30:55

to Dryden Quigley WSMV four what are we

31:00

seeing so we're looking right now at

31:03

Metro police's bodyguard Cam Body warn

31:06

camera he's out there responding to what

31:09

I believe was a burglary call and he

31:11

runs into Riley as you could see Riley's

31:14

walking by him right there and he greets

31:15

him he says hi now Riley keeps walking

31:18

down that street and just a few feet

31:19

away you can actually see the bridge in

31:21

the video that's where Riley's phone

31:23

last pinged now the officer was there

31:25

for another 45 minutes and he says he

31:27

didn't hear anything out of the ordinary

31:30

but yeah you can see it right there that

31:31

bridge over there is the last spot that

31:34

Riley's phone um went off but it took

31:36

until today or yesterday to have this

31:38

video come

31:39

out guys let there's Riley right there

31:43

on the left Riley right there on the

31:46

left he's coherent everything's fine

31:49

he's speaking to the officer the officer

31:53

looks like he's doing a safety check in

31:55

a parking lot just poking around late at

31:57

night let's start it from the beginning

31:59

again I want to see everything okay keep

32:02

there's Riley he's walking normally he's

32:05

not drunk he's not on drugs he's wearing

32:07

the clothes that was described that were

32:09

described by his

32:11

friends is he walking toward or away

32:14

from the bridge deding quigly he is

32:17

walking towards it he kind of turns

32:19

around so it's hard to see but yes

32:20

Riley's on his way towards that first

32:23

Bridge okay what would be on the other

32:26

side of the bridge Dy

32:29

so there are two Bridges actually but

32:32

between them and down the side there are

32:34

usually people either sleeping under the

32:36

bridge or down the side again of the

32:38

embankment very close to where his

32:40

credit card was

32:42

found so you're telling me that the

32:46

homeless encampment was down the side of

32:49

that bridge toward which he is headed

32:54

yes okay

32:56

um

32:58

have there ever been ambushes there of

33:01

people crossing the bridge or

33:03

approaching the bridge at night that we

33:05

know of no not that I know of

33:09

now guys you are seeing the location

33:14

where Riley strain's bank card was found

33:19

there is the bridge now I want you to

33:23

see other surveillance that we've

33:26

obtained from that night now all of the

33:30

surveillance together paints a picture

33:33

there's Riley walking he's walking up

33:35

hill he's leaning forward a little bit

33:38

there you go uh oh he just staggered

33:41

okay keep going Riley keep going that's

33:45

earlier that

33:47

evening there he is he stops at the

33:51

corner turns and there he is right there

33:54

he's jog oops he's jogging along and he

33:59

trips why was he

34:01

jogging what was he running away from or

34:05

toward there you see him getting out

34:07

we've got it highlighted for

34:09

you and look to your right look to your

34:13

right eyes on the

34:16

right you see what we think is a

34:18

homeless person walking by in a hood

34:20

Here Comes Riley look he waits for the

34:22

vehicle and he crosses the street watch

34:26

his gate watch

34:28

Riley he's walking along with the other

34:33

people is he walking

34:39

normally okay he's standing right there

34:42

at the

34:43

crosswalk he does a circle and he keeps

34:46

walking why is he alone where is he

34:48

going to Chris Dingman what if anything

34:52

do we know where where was he

34:55

headed um and I can help you out with a

34:58

lot of your questions uh unfortunately

35:01

the unfortunately the way the videoos

35:03

released to us to that day is kind of

35:04

the way that you have laid him out just

35:06

then uh what we do know is the one video

35:10

where Riley is running through the

35:11

parking lot and falls down that is the

35:14

first video of those three uh there was

35:17

an altercation in that intersection

35:20

you'll see right here Riley comes behind

35:22

the food truck there was an altercation

35:24

with two gentlemen in that intersection

35:27

we think was walking up to it saw the

35:29

altercation and decided to go around the

35:31

back of the food truck and that's why he

35:34

was at a little bit of a you know a

35:36

faster Gallop per se uh the family we

35:39

have personally been to that food truck

35:40

and look at their footage that's how we

35:42

know you know initially people were

35:44

thinking Riley was attacked in that

35:46

intersection uh he was not uh we think

35:49

the reason Riley started to run a little

35:51

bit is one of the people in the

35:52

altercation started running back towards

35:55

and if you'll look back towards the left

35:58

there's a fire truck coming up the road

36:00

we think one of the people that was in

36:02

altercation took off running behind the

36:04

food truck towards the fire truck and

36:07

that's why Riley just micr seconds wow I

36:10

need to move that's why he started

36:12

running behind the truck the second

36:14

video is where he's walking along the

36:16

wall it's kind of a dark area you'll

36:19

notice he keeps reaching up towards the

36:21

back of his body um the first video

36:25

unfortunately when Riley goes down

36:26

there's a concrete

36:28

pole for that parking lot and Riley went

36:30

into it aggressively uh he went

36:33

shoulders and then hit his head into

36:35

that as he was going down you'll in that

36:37

video he's there for you know one two

36:40

three four seconds before he gets

36:41

himself and his bearings back up the

36:44

video too that you know that's why we

36:46

think it at first we thought maybe he

36:47

was trying to take his phone to his ear

36:49

but after putting the pieces together in

36:52

order Riley you know was probably

36:54

rubbing his neck and shoulders from

36:55

hitting the concrete barricade

36:58

that part there where he's walking uh

37:00

the next video where he is crossing the

37:02

street where the construction barricade

37:03

is he walks right along the construction

37:06

barricade uh whatever happened with you

37:09

know him hitting his shoulders and neck

37:11

as he's coming through here uh I think

37:14

he kind of comes out of ethers we say

37:16

you know when you when you have an

37:17

Abrupt movement against your body

37:19

because his body motions go back towards

37:22

more normal the fourth video and the

37:24

last video that we have of anything

37:26

seeing Riley will will be the police

37:28

video so I just wanted to help you guys

37:30

with that and put it in progression so

37:32

people would understand the timeline the

37:34

the wild part and and the young lady

37:36

from Nashville with the media I I think

37:39

this is all within about a five minute

37:41

window and very close proximity of each

37:44

other uh of these videos as they go

37:49

by from what I know right now Steve

37:52

fiser uh joining us from search

37:55

investigations. org there has been no

37:59

additional cell phone activity or bank

38:02

card credit card activity since Riley

38:05

went missing what does that tell

38:08

you well I mean that tell me that

38:12

everything stopped right there and you

38:14

know as we're looking at surveillance is

38:16

what literally every case comes down to

38:18

and one thing I think is important in

38:19

this and um you know I'd like Chris to

38:22

know is uh you know right across the

38:24

river is pretty thoroughly covered you

38:26

got the Tennessee Titans uh stadium and

38:28

then you got a Marathon Oil uh facility

38:31

uh and I've been dealing with the Titans

38:33

uh they did not capture anything however

38:36

the marathon facility you know has I

38:38

talked to the head of security there on

38:39

Sunday they had not been contacted by

38:41

law enforcement their barges are

38:43

literally right across from where that

38:46

um uh debit card was found and they have

38:49

a lot of surveillance because they got

38:51

to protect that facility against people

38:52

coming in from the water so I was in

38:55

touch with her they were going to pull

38:57

all the footage on Monday morning I let

38:59

the detective know he didn't get back to

39:01

me but then uh communication stopped so

39:04

I think there was a halt put to that and

39:07

but I would just you know want Chris to

39:09

know that I think there was

39:10

significant um surveillance available

39:13

right across the river so we need that

39:15

barge video Pronto yes yes we supposed

39:20

to have it I supposed to get that Monday

39:23

yeah Dr Bethany Marshall joining us uh

39:27

psychoanalyst out of La at Dr Bethany

39:29

marshall.com Dr

39:31

Bethany so often citizen investigations

39:36

tips are discounted but if it weren't

39:40

for citizen sleuths we would never have

39:43

found Gabby petito that would never have

39:46

happened she was out in the middle of

39:48

nowhere literally dispersed camping um

39:51

in this case a private citizen finds the

39:54

bank card and I believe there are more

39:57

people that can tell us where is Riley I

40:01

I believe that so why is that not

40:04

happening you know Nancy I was just

40:06

thinking about Gabby Patito it was um

40:09

people who were are who were um

40:11

influencers who were crowdsourcing

40:13

information in some ways Nancy they were

40:16

more motivated to solve the crime than

40:18

the police were the police see so much

40:20

they can become jaded overwhelmed maybe

40:23

they're underst staffed I I don't know I

40:25

can't speak to that but in terms of

40:27

crowdsourcing information people care

40:30

about Riley strain they see this blonde

40:33

good-looking Young Man educated from a

40:36

family who loves him and they want to

40:39

know what happen so I'm wondering are

40:43

the police Plumbing this very rich

40:45

source are there asking other people

40:47

what happened because this is where a

40:49

lot of Clues could be

40:51

found guys you're seeing shots of Riley

40:54

with his family again the tip line

41:00

6158628600

41:01

if you know or think you know anything

41:06

about The Disappearance of this young

41:09

man literally scrubbed in sunshine

41:13

please call

41:15

6158628600

41:17

all of our efforts thoughts and prayers

41:22

with Riley strain and his family

41:26

now goodbye

41:28

friend guys thank you for watching crime

41:30

online with Nancy Grace here on YouTube

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