Steven M. Packer dies 'of wounds suffered when his dismounted patrol encountered an improvised explosive device'

Clovis High graduate, SGT Steve Packer, died Friday when a bomb tore through his humvee. The Clovis soldier died while looking for three other soldiers who are missing in Baghdad in a region nicknamed the "triangle of death".

Just 23 years old, SGT Steve Packer had served four years in the Army. Nearly all of it in Iraq. He was on his third tour of duty when killed by a roadside bomb on Thursday. When last home on leave in March, he told his mom the situation in was bad.

SGT Packers mom, Robin Davidson, says, "He was very fearful of going back there because he knew what he was going back there to. He knew it was dangerous. He would tell me sometimes it was not safe for them, that they were just put in harms way."

Steve joined the Army after graduating from Clovis High school in 2002. His mom says he was motivated to defend his country after 9/11. He was supposed to be out of the Army last May, but under stop loss orders, Steve and thousands of others were forced to stay in another year.

Robin Davidson says, "His plan was to be home, he had served his four years. And he should have been home. He should have been home. And he did not want to go back to Iraq."

Steve Packer was assigned to guard a power plant along the Euprhates River. But this week, he joined thousands of other troops in the search for three missing soldiers. He and two other soldiers were killed when their humvee was blown up. His family, and his girlfriend are trying to deal with the sudden loss.

Steve Packer is survived by his mother, step-father, sister, an older brother and twin 6 year old brothers.

From KFSN 30