Riley Strain’s family files wrongful death suit against Delta Chi fraternity

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV/Gray News) - The family of Riley Strain filed a wrongful death lawsuit against his former fraternity, Delta Chi, along with his fraternity brothers after he died on a trip to Nashville in March 2024.

Strain’s family filed the suit against the Delta Chi chapter at the University of Missouri on Friday.

The Mizzou student went missing after being kicked out of a Nashville bar on March 8, 2024, and was later found dead on March 22, that same year. He was found after two weeks of extensive search by air, boat and on foot.

Months after his death, the medical examiner’s report concluded Strain died as a result of drowning and intoxication. His manner of death was deemed an accident. The report said Strain had a blood alcohol content of .228, nearly three times the legal limit to drive.

Now, his family has filed the suit in Boone County, Missouri, arguing that the fraternity and its members failed to keep him safe. The suit lists 32 names, including fraternity chapter presidents, recruitment chairs and other members.

The suit comes on the heels of the one-year mark since his body was discovered in the Cumberland River.

In the suit, the family argues that the fraternity and its members did not implement adequate safety measures to protect him and did not follow the policies that were already in place. The family also argues that the fraternity failed to enforce those policies during the Nashville trip.

The family claims that the fraternity and its members were negligent and liable for the negligence and they are now pushing for a jury trial.

The family is seeking damages for expenses incurred from Riley’s death on top of other compensation.