Unreleased Video of Missing Student Riley Strain Shows Him Walking Towards Bridge, Family Says

Mar. 15, 2025

Missing Missouri student Riley Strain.Photo:Christopher Whiteid

Christopher Whiteid

The family ofRiley Strainhas seen unreleased video of themissing college studentwalking towards a bridge, they tell PEOPLE.

“It was the last known video of Riley,” says his stepfather, Chris Whiteid. “It was good to see him.”

Nashville police showed the family the video on Sunday night. The footage of Riley near a bridge helped piece together his path, but where he went next is still unknown, he says.

“We’re looking for that next nugget right now, just trying to find that so that we can move forward,” Whiteid adds.

PEOPLE could not immediately reach the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department for comment.

Police have been slowly releasing footage of the 22-year-old University of Missouri student after he disappeared from a night out with his friends.

On March 12, police released footage ofStrain stumbling and falling, and earlier this week, they shared body camera footage that showedStrain briefly interacting with a police officerwho was responding to a vehicle break-in.

In Tuesday’s press conference,police said they released the videoafter getting multiple calls claiming that Strain was chased or being followed, which they say they’ve seen “no evidence of.”

Missing Missouri student Riley Strain.Metro Nashville PD

Metro Nashville PD

The officer’s body cam footage was the last time the family heard his voice.

“That’s the last video we have showing him speaking,” Whiteid says. “It was rough to hear…But hearing him speak, we could hear him – he did not sound highly intoxicated.”

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The footage has actually raised more questions for the family.

“That was kind of a double whammy,” Whiteid says. “It’s like you wish that he would’ve been extremely drunk and the cop would’ve said, ‘Hey, stop. Let’s talk.’ ”Or he wishes his stepson had spoken up and said, “Hey, I’m lost. Can you help me?”

“But he didn’t,” Whiteid adds. “Listening to him, it was Riley. The way he addresses the officer, that’s Riley. That’s how he talks to people, and it gives you an insight to a little bit of our son in this horrible moment.”

Missing Missouri student Riley Strain.Christopher Whiteid

In recent days, police officers have had a couple of phone calls with the family saying they’re following up all the calls and tips coming in, but there’s “nothing solid yet,” according to Whiteid.

“I feel that the Nashville Metro Police Department is doing everything within their power. I feel that they are overwhelmed with the amount of information that’s coming in due to the social media and the news coverage that we’ve been fortunate to have and so it’s a double-edged sword,” he says. “I have my days that I’m frustrated. I have my days that I know they’re doing everything they can. It’s like I tell everybody: Put yourself in that position. If this was your family member they were missing, how would you feel? It doesn’t matter how fast it’s done, it’s not going to be fast enough.”

Right now, they’re still searching everywhere, and waiting.

“We’ll see what tomorrow brings,” he says.

source: people.com