A former acting U.S. Attorney was found dead inside a San Diego federal building Wednesday after being reported missing hours earlier.
San Diego police discovered Andrew Haden, 48, deceased in an office at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building downtown. Haden was reported missing earlier that day, and his body was located that evening. Authorities said no foul play is suspected, and the medical examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death.
“Out of an abundance of caution, SDPD investigators responded to the scene, and no foul play is suspected,” a police spokesperson said in a statement. “The official cause and manner of death will be determined by the Medical Examiner.”
Haden had spent his entire career in the Southern District of California, joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2010 after being selected through the Attorney General’s Honors Program. The San Diego native rose through the ranks to hold multiple leadership positions, including Chief of the Violent Crimes & Human Trafficking Section, Chief of the Criminal Division, and most recently First Assistant U.S. Attorney.
He twice stepped in as acting U.S. Attorney during leadership transitions, serving roughly two months in 2023 and another two-month stint in early 2025. The first period followed the departure of U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman, and the second came after the White House fired Biden-appointed U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath in February 2025.
Southern District U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon mourned Haden’s death in a statement issued Thursday. Gordon called the day “one of the darkest days in our office’s history, but there was nothing dark about Andrew Haden’s life.”
“He was a beacon of light — full of laughter, friendship, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to serving our community,” Gordon continued. “We will honor his life and legacy by carrying his light forward, today and always.”
Gordon held a meeting with staff Thursday and emailed all office personnel to inform them of Haden’s death. He did not disclose additional details out of respect for Haden’s wife and children.
Haden’s roots in San Diego ran deep. He was raised in the city and graduated from University City High School before heading to Stanford University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. He then served five years as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy, including two overseas deployments, with his final assignment as Navigator on the USS Mobile Bay.
After his military service, Haden returned to San Diego for law school at the University of San Diego. He clerked for U.S. District Judge Thomas J. Whelan in the Southern District of California before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Southern District of California Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the news represents a “loss for everyone,” describing Haden as “well loved and well respected.”
Defense attorney Jeremy Warren, who frequently opposed Haden in court, offered his own tribute to the newspaper. “The fact that we remained friends throughout is a testament to the type of guy he was,” Warren said. He called Haden’s death “a huge blow to the entire federal community in San Diego.”
In the viral moment that preceded his death, Haden had been demoted from his leadership role in the months prior. A July 2025 report by Times of San Diego revealed that Haden was among senior prosecutors reassigned under Gordon’s leadership, with the veteran staffer stating Haden “now toils on basic appeals cases” after turning down an offer to replace a removed national security section chief as a show of support for colleagues. The same report described widespread departures and low morale at the office, with multiple prosecutors resigning under the current administration.
Haden’s work had earned national recognition. In 2020, he received the nationwide Director’s Award for Superior Performance in a Managerial or Supervisory Role from the Executive Office for United States Attorneys. In 2024, he was honored with the Peter J. Mazza Outstanding Federal Lawyer Award from the Federal Bar Association for exemplary leadership and public service.
The medical examiner’s investigation into Haden’s cause of death is ongoing.