Andrew Haden, a Navy veteran and longtime federal prosecutor who twice led the Southern District of California as acting US attorney, was found dead inside a San Diego federal building after being reported missing, and police say no foul play is suspected.
Haden's body was discovered Wednesday inside an office at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in downtown San Diego, hours after he had been reported missing earlier that day. He was 48. The San Diego Police Department responded to the scene, and the San Diego County Medical Examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death, the New York Post reported.
US Attorney Adam Gordon, who leads the Southern District office, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that Thursday was "one of the darkest days in our office's history, but there was nothing dark about Andrew Haden's life." Gordon held a staff meeting with the office Thursday and emailed all employees to inform them of Haden's death. He declined to disclose further details out of respect for Haden's wife and children.
Haden joined the US Attorney's Office in 2010 and built a career that earned him the trust of two different administrations. He served roughly two months as Acting US Attorney during leadership transitions in both 2023 and 2025, a role that put him at the helm of one of the busiest federal prosecution offices on the southern border.
Before entering law, Haden spent five years in the Navy and deployed twice overseas. He grew up in San Diego, graduated from University City High School, then earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Stanford University. He went on to attend law school at the University of San Diego and clerked for US District Judge Thomas J. Whelan in the Southern District of California.
That background, military service, a local upbringing, and deep roots in the federal court system, made Haden a fixture in San Diego's legal world. His death prompted an outpouring from judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys alike, a rare consensus in a profession built on adversarial combat.
Defense attorney Jeremy Warren, who regularly squared off against Haden in court, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the two remained friends despite standing on opposite sides of federal cases:
"The fact that we remained friends throughout is a testament to the type of guy he was."
Warren called Haden's death "a huge blow to the entire federal community in San Diego." That a defense attorney would mourn a prosecutor so publicly speaks to the kind of reputation Haden built, one grounded in fairness and professionalism, not just conviction rates.
Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant of the Southern District of California described the news as "a loss for everyone" and said Haden was "well loved and well respected." Scott C. Carr, executive director of the San Diego County Bar Association, posted a tribute on LinkedIn following Haden's death, describing the local legal community as "devastated" by the sudden loss. Carr remembered Haden as a supportive boss and friendly colleague who always had a kind word to say.
"Our legal community lost a good one."
That was Carr's summary, and by all accounts from those who worked alongside Haden, it was an understatement.
Gordon's full statement captured the weight of the loss for the office Haden had served for more than a decade and a half:
"He was a beacon of light, full of laughter, friendship, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to serving our community. We will honor his life and legacy by carrying his light forward, today and always."
The SDPD confirmed in a statement that investigators responded "out of an abundance of caution" and that no foul play is suspected. The department deferred the final determination on cause and manner of death to the Medical Examiner, as separately reported. No further details about the circumstances of Haden's disappearance or discovery have been released, including who reported him missing or when he was last seen.
Federal buildings house some of the most sensitive operations in the justice system, and the discovery of a prosecutor's body inside one raises questions that the public record has not yet answered. Investigators in other recent California cases have faced similar pressure to move quickly when deaths intersect with the federal court system.
Several key facts remain unknown. The precise circumstances under which Haden was reported missing have not been disclosed. Whether he was still actively employed by the US Attorney's Office at the time of his death, or had fully departed after his second acting stint ended in 2025, is unclear from the public record. Gordon's decision to withhold details "out of respect for Haden's wife and children" is understandable, but it leaves the public without a complete picture.
The medical examiner's findings will be critical. Until that report is released, the only official word is the SDPD's statement that foul play is not suspected. In a city where investigators have recently probed other unexpected deaths under difficult circumstances, the community will be watching for answers.
Haden's career arc, from a San Diego kid to a Stanford graduate, Navy veteran, federal clerk, and eventually the top federal prosecutor in his home district, is the kind of story that used to define public service. He spent 16 years in the same office, took the reins twice when his country asked, and earned respect from people whose job was to fight him in court.
The federal justice system depends on prosecutors who do the work without fanfare, who treat adversaries with respect, and who show up every day for the public they serve. The Department of Justice faces no shortage of scrutiny these days, but the men and women who carry its mission at the district level deserve to be remembered for what they gave.
Andrew Haden gave 16 years, two deployments, and by every account available, the kind of integrity that made even his opponents call him a friend. Whatever the medical examiner finds, that record speaks for itself.
