On June 11th, Taste of Country uploaded a video with a surprising headline about Riley Strain’s tragic case. The headline claimed to be a “Riley Strain Autopsy UPDATE,” and Taste of Country alleged, “We’ve Been Tricked!”
Taste of Country host and lead writer Billy Dukes alleged that people following Riley’s case would “be shocked when the full autopsy” report was released. The real truth is that Riley’s “official autopsy report” was released on June 18th. Still, Billy had other things to discuss in this video, specifically, a “private investigator” “hired by [Riley’s] family.”
Billy said the Strain family’s private investigator had spoken out on Riley’s case and called prior reports “lies.” Allegedly, the private investigator questioned a toxicology report that stated Riley had no substances in his system when his body was discovered.
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Another twisted detail is the investigator’s suspicions that foul play was involved in Riley’s case, even though Nashville authorities claimed there was “no reason to suspect foul play” after Riley disappeared on March 8th. Billy even described Riley’s sad situation as taking “a wild and ugly turn.” He cautioned viewers to “believe nothing” until the real truth was uncovered.
Billy told viewers he would sort through Riley’s case “chronologically” and “introduce all the key players.” At least Billy remembered Riley’s grieving family at this unbelievably hard time.
Billy asked viewers to “please continue to keep Riley’s parents and family in mind this spring and summer.” He reminded us that their “pain is not going to go away,” even when they finally learn the truth about their beloved Riley.
Many People Suspected a Criminal Investigation
Billy started with a report by Nashville’s News Channel 5 published on June 6th. Reporter Nick Beres wrote that 22-year-old Riley was the victim of an “accidental drowning” and that there was “no sign he was the victim of a crime.” But, Billy pointed out a huge problem with the News Channel 5 report, and you won’t believe this.
Billy claimed that News Channel 5 only confirmed their findings with “another News Channel 5 reporter.” In this case, it was a “legal analyst” for the station named Nick Leonardo.
Nick Leonardo allegedly told Nick Beres, “A lot of times when an autopsy takes a little while, it makes people suspect there is a criminal investigation” due to foul play. Nick Beres wrote that “all indications” pointed to Riley’s passing being “accidental” because Nick Leonardo told him that it was a “horrible tragedy… with no criminal wrongdoing.”
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Then Billy brought up Steve Fischer, who Riley’s family hired to investigate his case. Wide Open Country reported on what happened next, and this story just gets more twisted.
On June 12th, Wide Open Country wrote that Steve was “casting doubt” on medical reports and media write-ups about Riley. Steve said Riley’s family was still “waiting for official results to be shared.”
Steve accused News Channel 5 of jumping the gun and threw major shade at another private investigator, Jennifer Coffindaffer. Jennifer had commented on social media platforms like X that Riley’s case involved “no foul play.” Steve attacked her online and said that Jennifer got it “completely wrong.”
Steve Publicly Questioned Jennifer’s Qualifications
He really went after Jennifer in the media. Wide Open Country reported that Steve doubted Jennifer’s qualifications as an investigator. Shockingly, he also posted an “email exchange” with a detective from the Metro Nashville Police Department.
Steve’s emails with the detective allegedly showed that the medical examiner in Nashville had yet to share their final report. He went after Jennifer for sharing her “opinion” before any official findings were released.
He even went on X and posted a diss comment calling Jennifer a “tabloid commentator.” Steve later threw shade at Jennifer for “literally [being] the joke amongst law enforcement” and that, “as usual, her findings are wrong.”
Wide Open Country reported that Steve later deleted some of these insulting comments. He also claimed on X that he would no longer comment on Riley’s case “out of respect for the family” until the toxicology report was “officially released.”
However, Steve also wrote that he would “comment” if he got “a statement from Dr. Li at the Medical Examiners’ Office.” Steve also claimed he had “contacted” Dr. Li about Jennifer’s “lies,” and asked Dr. Li to “provide a statement” at that time. Steve said he would post any statement from the medical examiner.
He finished with another accusation directed at Jennifer. Steve wrote, “Trust me, Jennifer is lying.” Then he claimed that was all he had to say about it.
Riley’s BAC Was Triple the Legal Limit
Taste of Country dropped the bombshell on June 18th that the medical examiner “finally revealed” the official word on Riley. They wrote that Riley’s autopsy and toxicology report was made public on that Tuesday morning. Shockingly, it “contained specifics and surprises.”
Taste of Country revealed that the report “also addressed questions” about whether Riley had substances in his system. Sadly, Riley’s family “has also ordered a second autopsy, which has not been made public if completed.”
News Channel 5 was finally able to prove their initial belief that Riley passed away from “accidental” causes. However, the toxicology report shockingly revealed that Riley’s “blood alcohol level was nearly triple the legal limit.”
Riley had been on a fraternity trip to Nashville with his friends from the University of Missouri. News Channel 5 reported that Riley’s school had “recognized him during the graduation proceedings” this year.
Taste of Country wrote that media outlets like Fox 17 in Nashville reported that Riley had passed because of “drowning and ethanol intoxication.” The layperson’s term for ethanol intoxication is “alcohol poisoning.”
According to a description on the Mayo Clinic website, alcohol poisoning can occur when someone binge drinks. In the case of a young man like Riley, it could have happened if he “rapidly consumed five or more alcoholic drinks within two hours.”
Taste of Country said that Riley’s blood alcohol level of .228 made him “nearly three times the legal limit to drive.” However, there was something else in Riley’s system, and it’s shocking.
Delta-9 THC Was Also Found in Riley’s System
Riley’s toxicology report said he had “small amounts of a legal form of THC” in his system. According to Taste of Country, this legal substance is called “Delta 9,” and it’s “available in Tennessee.”
Steve had been suspicious about this and is now sharing his “detailed findings” online. Steve posted a “portion” of the actual toxicology report that apparently lists “Delta-9 THC,” a substance that is commonly found in “edibles,” but there was another shocking detail.
The summary of the toxicology report seems to indicate a form of Delta-9 THC in Riley’s system that is “considered more intense” than other forms. The fact that there were other substances in Riley’s system was all the proof that Steve needed right now.
Taste of Country reminded readers about the “heated debate” between Steve and Jennifer and how Steve had accused her of “lies” when Jennifer claimed online there were no substances in Riley’s system.
Riley’s Family Is Continuing the Investigation
However, Jennifer wasn’t lying about the issue of foul play. Taste of Country wrote that the medical examiner’s official findings were “consistent with what Metro Nashville Police” had said all along. There were “no signs of foul play,” and Riley allegedly “fell into the Cumberland River on his own.”
According to the Metro Nashville medical examiner, their official findings dispel any conspiracy theory that Riley had been given harsher or illegal substances without his knowledge.
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This theory began after Riley’s mom, Michelle Whiteid, shared text conversations she had with Riley before he disappeared. Allegedly, Riley texted Michelle that he’d been served a drink that “tasted like barbecue.” Even Steve had to admit the real truth on social media.
Steve’s summary on X confirmed that alcohol and legal substances had been “detected” in Riley’s system. Still, no harsher or illegal substances were identified by Nashville’s medical examiner that could have made Riley pass out or come from “intentional foul play.”
Taste of Country reported that Riley’s family has “hired personal injury lawyers, Morgan & Morgan.” They’re seeking to “continue the investigation,” including that second autopsy. As Taste of Country explained, Riley’s family isn’t done yet.
They wrote that it’s “likely” that Riley’s family wants to “focus on when and where” Riley was “served drinks.” Steve confirmed online that his “interviews are ongoing” and wants to deliver a report to Riley’s family “within two weeks.”
