Local officials confirmed on Friday that Andrew Haden, a senior prosecutor in Southern California and a former acting federal prosecutor, was found dead this week in a federal building in downtown San Diego at the age of 48. Police stated that there are currently no signs indicating foul play, and the official cause of death is pending confirmation by the medical examiner.
San Diego authorities reported that Haden was discovered dead in an office within the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building on Wednesday. The federal building, located at 880 Front Street in downtown San Diego, is also home to the Southern District of California office of the United States Attorney.
According to the police, they received a report of a missing male on Wednesday evening, and subsequently found Haden deceased inside the federal building.
The San Diego Police Department mentioned that investigators approached the scene with “heightened caution,” but at present, there is no indication of foul play involved. The formal cause of Haden’s death and the manner of death will be determined by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Authorities have not yet released more details regarding the circumstances of Haden’s death.
Adam Gordon, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, confirmed Haden’s passing in a statement sent to the media on Friday.
Gordon stated in the release, “This is one of the darkest days in the history of our office,” describing Haden as a “beacon of light” filled with laughter, friendship, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to serving the community.
Scott C. Carr, Executive Director of the San Diego County Bar Association, expressed deep sorrow upon learning of Haden’s passing. He recalled a recent conversation with Haden during the government shutdown, where they discussed the impact of the shutdown on office staff and how Haden “went out of his way to support his team.”
A native of San Diego, Haden joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California in 2010 and served as a federal prosecutor for many years, holding various leadership positions within the office.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Justice, he served as the head of the Violent Crime and Human Trafficking Division, the head of the Criminal Division, and the First Assistant U.S. Attorney (the office’s second-in-command).
During transitional periods in leadership, Haden twice served as the acting U.S. Attorney, first in 2023 and then in 2025. The U.S. Attorney is the chief federal law enforcement officer for the federal government in each federal judicial district, representing the government in legal matters.
In 2025, after the departure of U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath, Haden briefly oversaw the office until Adam Gordon assumed the position.
According to previously released information from the U.S. Department of Justice, Haden graduated from University City High School in San Diego before attending Stanford University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.
He then served in the U.S. Navy for five years, participating in multiple overseas deployments. After his military service, Haden entered the University of San Diego School of Law, obtained a law degree, and worked as a judicial assistant to a federal judge.
Haden joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California in 2010 through the Attorney General’s Honors Program of the U.S. Department of Justice and dedicated 16 years of service to the office.