Andrew Haden, the 48-year-old federal prosecutor who twice served as acting U.S. attorney in San Diego, was found dead inside the federal building where he spent 16 years of his career.
Haden's body was discovered Wednesday inside an office at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in downtown San Diego after he had been reported missing hours earlier. San Diego police responded to the scene and said they found no indication of foul play. The cause of death remains pending with the San Diego County Medical Examiner, Newsmax reported.
Sources told the New York Post that Haden died by suicide. Police have not released an official cause of death.
Haden first joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California in 2010. A California native and Navy veteran with two overseas deployments, he earned his law degree from the University of San Diego before building a career as a federal prosecutor in the same city.
He was selected to serve as acting U.S. attorney twice, first in 2023 to fill a vacancy, and again in 2025 after President Trump fired U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath, a Biden appointee. That second appointment put Haden at the helm of one of the busiest federal prosecution offices along the southern border, a role that carried enormous weight during an era of heightened enforcement priorities.
The legal questions surrounding acting U.S. attorneys have drawn national attention in recent months, but Haden's tenure drew praise from colleagues on both sides of the courtroom aisle rather than controversy.
Defense attorney Jeremy Warren, who sparred with Haden in past courtroom battles, called his death "a huge blow to the entire federal community in San Diego." Warren said the fact that "we remained friends throughout is a testament to the type of guy he was," Fox News Digital reported.
Gordon, the current U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, issued a statement that made clear how deeply the loss hit the office where Haden had worked for more than a decade and a half.
"This is 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. We will honor his life and legacy by carrying his light forward, today and always."
Southern District of California Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant described Haden as "well loved and well respected" and called his death "a loss for everyone," Breitbart reported.
Scott C. Carr, executive director of the San Diego County Bar Association, said he was devastated by the news. Carr recalled a conversation with Haden during the most recent government shutdown, when Haden was focused on how the disruption affected the people who worked for him.
"Andrew was always friendly with a kind word to say, which makes news of his passing all the more difficult. My thoughts are with his family and his colleagues at the Southern District of California. Our legal community lost a good one."
That Haden spent a government shutdown worrying about his staff, not his own career, tells you something about the man his colleagues are mourning.
The Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building sits at 880 Front Street in downtown San Diego and houses the U.S. Attorney's Office along with other federal operations. San Diego police said officers responded "out of an abundance of caution" after Haden was reported missing and subsequently found inside the building.
Federal facilities across the country have faced security concerns in recent months. In one case, an Army veteran was charged with arson after firebombing outside a New York City federal building that housed ICE offices. The incidents are unrelated, but both underscore questions about safety at the buildings where federal employees carry out their work.
Police have not disclosed who reported Haden missing, how long he had been unaccounted for before the discovery, or the specific location within the building where his body was found. No formal investigation beyond the initial police response has been publicly announced.
Public officials in positions of trust face pressures that rarely make headlines until something goes wrong. The recent arrest of a Florida county clerk on serious criminal charges reminded the public how little outsiders know about the private lives of those who serve in government roles.
Haden's case is different in every respect, no wrongdoing, no scandal, no accusation. Just a 48-year-old Navy veteran and career prosecutor whose colleagues cannot say enough good things about him, found dead in the building where he gave 16 years of his professional life.
The country asks a great deal of the men and women who serve in federal law enforcement and prosecution. When one of them is lost this way, the least the rest of us can do is pay attention, and ask whether enough is being done to support the people who carry that weight.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 988.
