San Marcos soldier dies in Afghanistan

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) - A San Marcos resident and West Point graduate was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan.

Army Captain Paul W. Peña, 27, attended San Marcos Baptist Academy before going to West Point. Reports said Pena was on patrol when he stepped on an IED. It was unclear when it happened.

Right after graduating from West Point in 2004, he enlisted in the U.S. Army.

"Paul always wore a smile," said Madeline De Long, director of Alumni Relations at the Baptist Academy where he attended. "He was indeed the most humble person I ever met."

Peña's mother, Cecilia Peña, teaches in Kyle.  Neighbors say Paul was her only child.   The single mother traveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to receive her son's remains.

Some of Peña's neighbors are taking care of her home while she's away.  They placed several American flags in her yard as a tribute.

At San Marcos Baptist Academy on Wednesday, flags flew at half-staff, and students paused to watch a tribute playing on video screens.

"Paul was just one of those students teachers dream about," said Max Smith, a math and physics teacher at the academy.  "Always well behaved, always respectful."

"He was someone who really cared about others," Smith added.  "That was one of the most telling attributes that Paul had."

Peña kept in contact with teachers and students at the academy since his graduation.  He exchanged letters with a few students.

"He was very humble," said 8th grader Desmond Jackson.  "He just acted like a good person, like someone who would be a role model to others."

In Peña's neighborhood Wednesday afternoon, some of the nearby houses had flags on display in the yards, a tribute to a fallen soldier, and a show of respect for a grieving mother.