ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Metro Nashville Police Department say they have recovered the body of missing 22-year-old Mizzou Student Riley Strain.
Metro Nashville Police Department say the body of Strain was recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville Friday morning, approximately eight miles from downtown. Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake says Strain was found by workers on the river.
"As they were removing an object from the river, they noticed what appeared to be Strain pop up," said Drake to reporters Friday.
Police say no foul play-related trauma was observed there is no evidence to suggest anything other than Strain fell in the river and drowned. Chief Drake says based on Strains height and weight that if he did drown, he was expected to surface as early as fourteen days later. An autopsy is pending.
"We have reports that normally under these circumstances ... with his height and weight, he could have surfaced between 14 and 20 days," Drake said. "This is the 14th day. So we were really expecting to find him."
Strain was still wearing the clothes he wore the night of his disappearance, including a watch that was still on him.
Police previously said Strain, 22, was last seen just before 10 p.m. on March 8 after drinking downtown. A massive search was quickly launched, with just small clues available to help investigators trying to find him, including finding his bank card along a river bank and using surveillance footage to track his final moments.
University of Missouri officials said in a statement that Strain was traveling to Nashville to attend a private event with his fraternity Delta Chi.
Strain’s mother, Michelle Whiteid, and his stepfather, Chris Whiteid, have been in Nashville after learning about his disappearance.
"I just need to know where my son is," Michelle Whiteid initially told outlets. "We talk every day, multiple times a day. This is the longest I’ve ever gone without talking to him. It’s devastating. I just want to find him and hug him."
Drake said that his "heart and prayers" were going to Strain's family "for this very unfortunate and tragic accident."