A former U.S. acting attorney was discovered dead inside the San Diego federal building on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
Officials from the San Diego Police Department said they were alerted on Wednesday night by an emergency call to a possible missing person report.
The San Diego police have identified the person as 48-year-old Andrew R. Haden, who had served as the federal prosecutor since 2010.
Moments later, officers located Haden in an office inside the Edward J. Schwartz federal building.
Adam Gordon, U.S. Attorney described the incident as one of the darkest days in the office’s history, saying, “This is one of the darkest days in our office’s history, but there was nothing dark about Andrew Haden’s life,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“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,” Gordon continued.
Who was Andrew R. Haden?
Haden has served as the federal prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California since 2010.
He assumed the charge as the acting U.S. attorney twice during leadership handovers, remaining the front face of the office for about two months in 2023 and another two months last year.
Haden, a veteran U.S. Navy officer who served for five years, went on to attend the University of San Diego School of Law.
Before beginning his career as a federal prosecutor, he held a clerkship with U.S. District Judge Thomas J. Whelan in the Southern District of California.
He graduated in political science from Stanford University.
The San Diego County medical examiner has not released a cause of his death, but police authorities have ruled out any suspicion of foul play.
2026-08-22 12:35:00
