The search for missing US Assistant Attorney Andrew Haden ended tragically in San Diego, where he was found dead in a federal building.

Published on: Aug 21, 2026, 19:42:31 IST

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The quest for a missing US Assistant Attorney concluded tragically when he was discovered deceased in a federal building in San Diego, as per NY Post.

Local law enforcement located former Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden, 48, lifeless within an office at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building on Wednesday, and they have determined that foul play is not suspected.

Andrew Haden cause of death: 5 things to know

1. Haden had been reported missing earlier that same Wednesday, with his body being found just hours afterward. The medical examiner is responsible for establishing the cause and manner of Haden's death.
2. Haden became a member of the US attorney's office in 2010 and served as acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California on two occasions during transitions in leadership, nearly two months in both 2023 and 2025.
3. “Out of an abundance of caution, SDPD investigators responded to the scene, and no foul play is suspected,” a spokesperson sated in a statement, according to NY Post. “The official cause and manner of death will be determined by the Medical Examiner.”
4. Southern District U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon expressed his sorrow over Haden's passing in a statement to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Gordon remarked that Thursday marked "one of the darkest days in our office’s history, but there was nothing dark about Andrew Haden’s life.” “He was a beacon of light — full of laughter, friendship, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to serving our community,” Gordon told the NY Post.
5. On Thursday, Gordon convened a meeting in the office with the staff and subsequently sent an email to all employees to notify them of Haden's passing, as reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

In consideration of Haden's wife and children, he refrained from sharing specific details about his family, according to the Post.

Who was Andrew Haden?

Haden has a rich background in San Diego, where he was born and completed his education at University City High. Following this, he attended Stanford University in the Bay Area, earning a bachelor's degree in political science.

Afterward, he served as a prosecutor and spent five years in the Navy, during which he was deployed overseas on two occasions.

Subsequently, he pursued a legal education at the University of San Diego School of Law and worked as a court clerk for U.S. District Judge Thomas J. Whelan in the Southern District of California.

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