A University of Missouri student, Riley Strain, who went missing after being kicked out of a Nashville bar, was served only one drink before being asked to leave Luke Bryan's 32 Bridge Food + Drink bar, the owners of the bar said. The 22-year-old student was partying with friends at the bar just before 10 pm on 8 March during a trip with his fraternity for a spring formal. The bar's owner, TC Restaurant Group, stated that Strain was served one alcoholic drink and two waters before being escorted out at 9:35 pm. The bar owners emphasized that no one from Luke's 32 Bridge team prevented anyone from Riley's party from leaving the venue with him.

The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission announced that they were investigating whether Strain had been served alcohol while visibly intoxicated at the bar. Police in Nashville stated that there were currently "no signs of foul play" in the ongoing search for Strain. Homeless residents at two encampments near the Cumberland River reported seeing Strain on the night he disappeared, but were unsure of his whereabouts after that. Strain's stepfather described the days since Riley's disappearance as "pure hell," and a vigil was held for the missing college senior in Springfield, Missouri.

Security footage released by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department showed Strain crossing 1st Avenue North to Gay Street at 9:47 pm, which was about 0.7 miles from Luke's 32 Bridge and in the opposite direction of his hotel. Police continued to search for Strain using boats with sonar capabilities and drones. They were waiting on records from Strain's cellphone and Apple Watch to determine his possible whereabouts. The search included ground, air, and riverbank searches near where Strain was last seen.

The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission is investigating whether Strain was overserved alcohol at the bar he was asked to leave the night he vanished. Luke's 32 Bridge Food + Drink is the official restaurant and venue of country music star Luke Bryan. An online fundraiser has been set up to support Strain's family as they traveled from Springfield, Missouri, to Nashville to search for him. The police described Strain as 6-foot-5 with a thin build, blue eyes, and light brown hair, although his family stated he was 6-foot-7. Police urged anyone who has seen Strain to contact the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.