TikTok Users Are To Thank For This Massive Lead In Riley Strain Case

TikTok is about more than endless scrolling of Get Ready With Me videos or becoming a famous social media star; it's also about solving crimes. The most recent example came when the social media platform helped make a major break in the Riley Strain case -– and the facts are almost unbelievable.

For those unfamiliar with the case, Strain, a 22-year-old University of Missouri college student, went missing in Nashville on March 8, 2024, per CNN. He was out with his friends at a bar when the establishment escorted him out based on "conduct standards." It's believed that Strain was heavily intoxicated, and although he was with friends, none of them left the bar with him. Strain aimlessly walked the streets of Nashville after being kicked out of the bar and even interacted with the authorities. However, based on surveillance video, Strain suddenly disappeared near a river bank.

While police searched the river bank, it wasn't authorities who made a break in the case. TikTok users @nobodyleftbehind13 and @annaclendening took matters into their own hands and searched near the bank, per Fox News. The pair went live as they explored the rubble, and suddenly, viewers heard one of them say, "S***. I found his credit card." In disbelief, the second TikTok user chimed in, "You found his credit card? We found his credit card. We gotta go. We gotta hang up the phone." After hanging up the phone, the two alerted authorities about the evidence as it shed new light on the police department's efforts in Strain's case.

Riley Strain's family is devastated by the college student's mysterious disappearance, but they are grateful for the public's efforts to find him. After TikTok users discovered Strain's credit card by the river bank where he was last seen, and where his phone last pinged, family members expressed their gratitude for their search.

A family friend, Chris Dingam, confirmed to Fox News that the social media users found Strain's credit card. He shared, "We did get a great lead yesterday from a TikTok dynamic duo that we are sincerely appreciative of. And we're appreciative of everybody that's been out there searching and trying to bring Riley home. They did find this credit card." Although some may consider these social media users' efforts invasive, Dingam reassured they got the family's approval before going out searching. He said, "Hats off to those young ladies for what they did and what they're doing and how they approached this situation with kindness. We sincerely appreciate it."

If you weren't so sure whether to believe Dingam, Riley's parents have even spoken on the TikTok discovery and slammed authorities in the process, per The Daily Mail. Strain's father, Riley Gilbert, revealed that authorities have not said anything about the found bank card but he did have something to say to officials. Gilbert said, "I think it just shines light on the B-minus job that the police force may be doing."

The Tiktok users' discovery of Riley Strain's bank card has raised questions on how well the authorities are doing in their job to find the college student. But despite doubts about their efforts, authorities have reassured the public they are doing everything they can to find Strain.

"When we start a missing person investigation, we're looking for a person. We're looking for a body. We're not looking for small pieces of evidence," explained Sergeant Robert Nielsen, per The Daily Mail. Nielsen expressed in a press conference that he and other officials are trying their best to provide answers for Riley's disappearance. "Can we miss some things? Sure," he said. "But our primary goal is to find Mr. Strain and bring him home safely." Despite his confidence in authorities' work, Strain's family is taking any help they can get.

Strain's mom, Michelle Strain Whiteid, and his stepfather, Chris Whiteid, spoke to reporters on March 19, 2024, revealing that they have sought the help of the United Cajun Navy. According to their website, the United Cajun Navy is a nonprofit organization that helps with search efforts typically after natural disasters, but in Strain's case, they are helping in hopes of finding either more evidence or the college student himself. Mystery still surrounds Strain's disappearance, as many have gone missing and have never been found, but his family is not giving up the efforts to locate the 22-year-old.