SAN MARCOS, Texas – A former Texas Lutheran University football player is jail after being arrested for two armed robberies. Police say the suspect, Luis Rey Pena, used a shotgun in the robberies and fired it into the ceilings of at least two businesses during the crimes.
According to the TLU football media guide, the 21-year-old played on the 2008 team as an offensive lineman during his junior year. Pena’s hometown is listed as Pearsall.
After he was charged, the university suspended him from its football program. Pena was enrolled in the school's first summer session, which ended this week. His future status as a student and player will be determined by the outcome of the police investigation and legal proceedings according to a school official.
San Marcos investigators say the robbery suspect robbed a pizza shop on Friday, June 26 and an automotive store on May 30. He was arrested on Saturday in Seguin without incident.
During the 11 p.m. robbery of the Little Caesar’s Pizza in the 1000 block of Hwy. 80 in San Marcos, a man entered the store with a shotgun. Police say he then fired the shotgun into the building’s ceiling and demanded money from the workers. He then left with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Investigators say that the circumstances are also similar to the robbery of the Auto Zone in the 600 block of South Guadalupe in San Marcos. There, a suspected entered the store around 10 p.m., fired a shotgun into the ceiling, demand money, and left.
No one was reported in either robbery.Pena is also linked to a June 19 robbery at the Dyess Food Mart in the 300 block of Hwy. 123 in Seguin.
After investigators were given information about Pena’s whereabouts, he was arrested by Seguin and San Marcos police officers. According to San Marcos PD Commander Terry Nichols, police recovered the weapon used in both robberies as well as property stolen from Little Caesar’s.
He was booked into the Hays County jail on two counts of aggravated robbery. Pena is being held on a $200,000 bond.
In written statement published on the Seguin Gazette’s Website, TLU Senior Vice President for University Relations Steve Anderson says, “We were shocked to learn of the arrest of Luis Pena and the allegations in the case against him.”
Anderson added, “In my nearly 24 years at Texas Lutheran I do not recall accusations of this kind against one of our students. The university’s hearts and prayers go out to the victims of these criminal acts and all others who have been affected by this situation.”
