Andrew Haden, the 48-year-old former twice-acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, was found dead this week inside a federal building in downtown San Diego, a loss that colleagues called one of the darkest days in the office's history.
San Diego police responded to the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building on Wednesday after Haden was reported missing. Officers found him dead inside an office at the building, which houses the U.S. Attorney's Office where Haden had worked for 16 years. The department said it dispatched investigators but found no evidence of foul play, Fox News Digital reported.
Sources familiar with the case told the New York Post that Haden died by suicide. The medical examiner's office is investigating. No further details about the circumstances have been released.
Haden was a California native and a Navy veteran who completed two overseas deployments before turning to the law. He earned his law degree from the University of San Diego and joined the U.S. Attorney's Office in 2010.
Over the next decade and a half, he built a reputation strong enough that he was twice tapped to lead the office on an acting basis, first in 2023 to fill a vacancy, and again in 2025 after President Trump fired Biden appointee Tara McGrath. That second selection put Haden at the helm of one of the busiest federal prosecutor's offices along the southern border.
U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, who now leads the Southern District of California, issued a statement to Fox News Digital calling Haden's death a devastating blow.
"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."
Scott C. Carr, executive director of the San Diego County Bar Association, said he was devastated by the news. Carr recalled speaking with Haden during the most recent government shutdown about how the disruption was affecting employees in the office, a conversation that stuck with him because of the concern Haden showed for the people around him.
In a written statement, Carr said:
"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."
Defense attorney Jeremy Warren, who had faced off against Haden in court, called the death "a huge blow to the entire federal community in San Diego." Warren noted that despite their courtroom battles, the two remained friends, a fact he said spoke to Haden's character.
The tributes painted a consistent picture: a prosecutor respected not just for competence but for decency, by allies and adversaries alike. Sixteen years in the same office, two stints running it, and not a single detractor quoted in the aftermath.
Police have not disclosed who reported Haden missing or how long he had been unaccounted for before officers arrived at the federal building. The San Diego Police Department's statement that "no foul play is suspected" appears to be a preliminary finding; whether a full coroner's inquiry will follow has not been addressed publicly.
It also remains unclear whether Haden held any active role in the U.S. Attorney's Office at the time of his death or had returned to a line-prosecutor position after his second acting stint ended.
What is clear is that a man who spent nearly half his life in public service, first in uniform, then in a courtroom, is gone at 48. The people who worked beside him and the people who squared off against him agree on at least one thing: the Southern District of California is worse off without him.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling or texting 988.
