Former Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden Found Dead Inside San Diego Federal Building
Andrew Haden, who twice served as acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, was found dead in an office at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in San Diego, and officials say no foul play is suspected.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden was discovered deceased in an office on the 880 Front St. location of the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building on Wednesday, shortly after a missing-person report was filed. San Diego Police Department spokesperson Ashley Nicholes said investigators found no evidence of foul play and that the medical examiner will later release the official cause and manner of death. Southern District U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon issued a statement honoring Haden’s life and noting his two stints as acting U.S. attorney in 2023 and 2025.
Haden, a San Diego native, graduated from University City High, earned a political science degree at Stanford, served five years in the Navy with two overseas deployments, and later attended the University of San Diego School of Law. His career included roles as first assistant attorney general, chief of the Violent Crimes & Human Trafficking Section, and chief of the Criminal Division, earning awards such as the Director’s Award for Superior Performance and the Peter J. Mazza Outstanding Federal Lawyer Award.
Why it matters
The death of a senior federal prosecutor raises concerns about staff well-being and prompts a formal investigation.
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