An Eastern student enrolled in the Board of Trustees Bachelor of Arts Degree Program was found dead Tuesday morning in his apartment in the University Apartments complex.

John Wendell Henry, 43, of Danville, is believed to have been dead for a couple of days before his body was discovered, said Eastern police Lieutenant John Hatfill.

While there was no apparent sign of foul play, Hatfill said the cause of death will not be determined until autopsy and toxicology reports are released.

Henry’s body was discovered inside his apartment, where he lived alone, at around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday when his father and an Eastern employee entered the apartment after family members became worried because they had not heard from him in recent days, Hatfill said.

Henry was admitted to the BOT program this summer as a junior and began taking courses on campus this fall, Loretta Woodward, program director, said Tuesday.

Woodward described Henry as a person who “loved to learn” and “excited about living at Eastern.”

“Many of our program students choose to stay at home, but Henry wanted to be immersed in the university environment,” she said. “He truly was excited to be here.

“He would spend a lot of time around the office here and he would go to the library and just sit there absorbing the atmosphere. He was very honored to be in a place of learning.”

Woodward said Henry focused his studies at Eastern on history and philosophy.

“He also had a passion for literature, writing and music,” she said. “He played as a drummer in a small band.”

Henry earned his associates degree earlier in his life from the Danville Area Community College, and prior to attending Eastern Woodward said he taught drama classes and did independent work such as landscaping.

“It is not often that we have a student as passionate as he was,” she said. “We are all diminished when a member of the Eastern family passes on. In this office we feel especially diminished.”

Woodward said she believes funeral plans have not yet been arranged.

The investigation into Henry’s death is being handled by the Eastern police, Illinois State Police, and the Coles County Coroner’s Office.

Coles County Coroner Mike Nichols said the cause of death is still under investigation. A forensic autopsy has been performed but he said he is still awaiting results from a toxicology test.

“The test results could take a couple of weeks to get back,” he said.