TikTokers Help Find Big Clue In Riley Strain Missing Person Case
Those searching for the missing 22-year-old Riley Strain have two TikTokers to thank for making a potential big break in the tragic case. The nation has been gripped by the harrowing disappearance of Strain, who went missing on March 8. Strain went missing in Tennessee after he was last seen at a downtown Nashville bar owned by country star and "American Idol" judge Luke Bryan, called 32 Bridge.
Ever since then, true crime enthusiasts and concerned observers alike have been looking for answers. Social media users have headed online in droves to try and find out exactly what happened to the University of Missouri student, with many trying to determine his whereabouts after being seen in Nashville. And it turns out that all the chatter online has helped turn up evidence that could potentially lead to Strain's family getting answers. That's because a couple of TikTokers took it upon themselves to search the area near where Strain was last seen, and managed to find something extremely important during their search: Strain's credit card.
Two TikTokers were livestreaming when they found Riley Strain's credit card
While spending too much time on TikTok can impact your mental health, the extraordinary finding in the Riley Strain case is a point in favor of (moderate) social media use. The break in the case happened when TikTok users Brandy (@nobodyleftbehind13) and Anna (@annaclendening), livestreamed their search party on the social media site. The two, who were searching around Nashville's Cumberland River, were filming their progress in footage posted to the TikTok account of Riley Lively, a true crime sleuth. In the clip, the two can be seen looking around next to the river when one person shouted, "S***! I found his credit card!" The person filming then ran over to the other, telling those watching that they had to end the stream, likely in order to contact the authorities. Lively, who was commentating on the livestream from home, looked visibly shocked before telling her followers, "This is why it never hurts to look."
In the caption of the clip, which has been viewed more than 2.2 million times since its March 18 upload, Lively confirmed police had been called to the scene. "This is why I love helping advocate and search for missing persons," she said. "Thank you Brandy, Anna, Courtney, Oleboy, and others for reminding my why I love doing this ... yall are angels in human form."
Others following the case also praised the two in the comments section. "I was watching the live! These girls are amazing!!!!! Good job Brandy and Anna!!" one person wrote. "That was chilling... great job ladies!! The dedication and determination is incredible," another TikTok user commented.
Riley Strain's family shared their gratitude for the TikTok sleuths
It wasn't just those trying to find Riley Strain online who shared praise for the TikTok users who made the credit card discovery, though. The Strain family's spokesperson, Chris Dingman, confirmed the finding was genuine and shared how grateful they were to potentially have evidence that could lead them to their missing family member. "We did get a great lead yesterday from a TikTok dynamic duo that we are sincerely appreciative of," Dingman said while speaking to Fox News. "And we're appreciative of everybody that's been out there searching and trying to bring Riley home. They did find this credit card. It was in a location extremely close to where the last ping of his phone was from. It is verified."
Tragically, it's still not clear what happened to Strain, though it appears searches are being conducted in the waterways in Tennessee. Fox Nashville reporter Kelly Avellino confirmed on X, formerly known as Twitter, on March 17 that search crews had arrived to look in the area Strain's credit card had been found in, which was near Nashville's Gay Street. Riley Lively shared a TikTok on March 20 that showed a search for Strain being conducted by boat on Cheatam Lake, around 45 minutes' drive away.