Tragedy struck the San Diego legal community when a seasoned federal prosecutor, reported missing, was later found deceased within the same building where he had dedicated years of service.
Assistant US Attorney Andrew Haden, aged 48, was located lifeless in an office at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in downtown San Diego on a Wednesday evening, mere hours after authorities were notified of his disappearance.
The unexpected passing of Haden, a revered prosecutor and recent acting US Attorney, has left the San Diego legal sphere in shock. His peers hailed him as a cherished leader who devoted more than 15 years to federal litigation, twice ascending to guide the office.
According to the San Diego police, no evidence of foul play was found; however, insiders conveyed to the New York Post that suicide is suspected as the cause of Haden’s demise.
The Medical Examiner has yet to officially confirm the cause and manner of Haden’s death.
Police received a report of a missing man late Wednesday evening before officers traced Haden to an office at 880 Front Street, according to department spokesperson Ashley Nicholes.
The address is the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building, home to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, where Haden had worked since 2010.
‘Out of an abundance of caution, SDPD investigators responded to the scene, and no foul play is suspected,’ Nicholes told the Los Angeles Times.
‘The official cause and manner of death will be determined by the Medical Examiner.’
Assistant US Attorney Andrew Haden, 48, was reported missing before being found dead inside the San Diego federal building where he worked
The Navy veteran and father-of-two, pictured center, was remembered by devastated colleagues as a respected prosecutor and a ‘beacon of light’
The circumstances surrounding why Haden had initially been reported missing and how long he had been unaccounted for have not been publicly disclosed.
News of his death sent shockwaves through the federal prosecutor’s office on Thursday.
Southern District US Attorney Adam Gordon gathered staff for a meeting and later emailed employees to inform them of Haden’s death, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Gordon said he would not disclose further details out of respect for Haden’s wife and children.
‘This is one of the darkest days in our office’s history, but there was nothing dark about Andrew Haden’s life,’ Gordon said in an emotional tribute.
‘He was a beacon of light – full of laughter, friendship, integrity and unwavering commitment to serving our community.
‘We will honor his life and legacy by carrying his light forward, today and always.’
Haden was one of the most senior and experienced prosecutors in the Southern District of California, having held a succession of leadership positions during his lengthy career.
Haden had worked for the US Attorney’s Office since 2010 and twice served as acting US Attorney for the Southern District of California
He twice took over as acting US Attorney during periods of transition at the top of the office, serving for roughly two months in 2023 and then returning to the role for another approximately two-month stint in 2025.
He also served as first assistant US attorney and previously headed both its Violent Crimes & Human Trafficking Section and Criminal Division.
Judges and even defense attorneys who had battled Haden in court were among those mourning him after news of his sudden death emerged.
Southern District of California Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant described his death as a ‘loss for everyone.’
She remembered Haden as ‘well loved and well respected.’
Defense attorney Jeremy Warren, who regularly found himself on the opposite side of the courtroom from Haden, said the pair managed to remain friends despite their professional battles.
‘The fact that we remained friends throughout is a testament to the type of guy he was,’ Warren told the Union-Tribune.
He described Haden’s death as ‘a huge blow to the entire federal community in San Diego.’
Haden’s work also earned him significant recognition within the legal profession.
The Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building in downtown San Diego houses the US Attorney’s Office where Haden had worked since 2010
In 2020, he received the Director’s Award for Superior Performance in a Managerial or Supervisory Role from the Executive Office for United States Attorneys.
Four years later, the San Diego chapter of the Federal Bar Association presented him with the Peter J. Mazza Outstanding Federal Lawyer Award.
Scott C. Carr, executive director of the San Diego County Bar Association, said he was ‘just devastated’ after learning of Haden’s sudden death.
Carr recalled speaking with Haden during the most recent government shutdown and seeing firsthand his concern for the people working under him.
‘I remember talking with him during the most recent government shutdown about the impact it was having on employees in his office, and how [he] was working to support his team any way that he could,’ Carr wrote on LinkedIn.
‘Andrew was always friendly with a kind word to say, which makes news of his passing all the more difficult.’
Haden is survived by his wife and two children.