A top federal prosecutor was discovered dead inside a San Diego federal building hours after being reported missing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden, 48, was found Wednesday night in an office at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in downtown San Diego, according to reports. The building serves as headquarters for the U.S. Attorney's Office covering Southern California. San Diego police say officers got a missing person call late that evening, then were summoned to the building at 880 Front Street, where they located Haden's body.
Here is where things get eerie. Investigators say their initial review turned up zero evidence of criminal activity. A police spokesperson confirmed that no foul play is suspected, adding that the Medical Examiner will make the final determination on how Haden died. As of Friday, no official cause or manner of death had been publicly released.
Haden was not some low level government attorney. This man was a powerhouse in Southern California's federal legal system. He joined the U.S. Attorney's Office back in 2010 and spent over 15 years prosecuting federal cases. He climbed through major leadership roles, running the Violent Crimes and Human Trafficking Section and later heading up the entire Criminal Division. He eventually became the second in command as first assistant U.S. attorney.
And twice, he occupied the very top seat. Haden stepped in as acting U.S. attorney during leadership changes in 2023 and again in 2025, each time for roughly two months. This was not a behind the scenes bureaucrat. He was the guy calling shots in one of the country's most significant federal districts.
The reaction from San Diego's legal world was immediate and emotional. U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon called Thursday "one of the darkest days in our office's history," while insisting there was "nothing dark about Andrew Haden's life." Gordon praised him as someone full of laughter, friendship, and integrity, saying the office would honor his legacy by carrying his light forward. Gordon reportedly refused to share further details about the circumstances out of respect for Haden's wife and children.
Haden's background makes this even more stunning. Born and raised in San Diego, he served five years in the U.S. Navy with two overseas deployments, supporting Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom along with Joint Task Force Liberia. After military service, he came home and earned his law degree at the University of San Diego School of Law, then clerked for U.S. District Judge Thomas J. Whelan before launching his prosecutorial career.
Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant of the Southern District called his passing a "loss for everyone." Even defense attorney Jeremy Warren, who frequently squared off against Haden in court, said they maintained a genuine friendship despite being on opposite sides. Warren described the death as "a huge blow to the entire federal community in San Diego."
The San Diego County Medical Examiner is still working to officially determine what happened. Until those results come in, the mystery of what took place inside that federal building Wednesday night remains unanswered.
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