Hawthorne Heights guitarist Casey Calvert passed away Friday (Nov. 23) on the band’s tour bus in Washington, D.C. He was 25. The cause of death has yet to be announced, although early reports suggest it may be related to acute asthma. “At this time we’re not sure what exactly happened. Just last night he was joking around with everyone before he went to bed,” the band wrote in a Nov. 24 post on its Web site. “We can say with absolute certainty that he was not doing anything illegal. Please, out of respect to Casey and his family, don’t contribute or succumb to any gossip you may hear,” the statement continues. “We don’t want his memory to be tainted in the least. Casey was our best friend. He was quirky and awesome and there will truly be no others like him! His loss is unexplainable.” Hawthorne Heights was to be on the road through Dec. 21 as part of the Wintour ’07 with Amber Pacific, Escape The Fate, the A.K.A.s, and the Secret Handshake. As reported last week, the group has begun work on its next studio album but progress has been stalled due to an ongoing lawsuit between it and Victory Records.