Andrew Haden, a 48-year-old federal prosecutor who twice served as acting U.S. Attorney in San Diego, was found dead inside a federal office building Wednesday evening, and sources say he took his own life.

Haden's body was discovered in an office at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building at 880 Front St. in downtown San Diego, shortly after someone called San Diego police to report him missing. Sources familiar with the case told The California Post that Haden hanged himself. Police said they found no evidence of foul play.

The death stunned San Diego's legal community. Haden was a 15-year veteran of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California, a decorated Navy veteran, and a prosecutor who had tried more than two dozen jury cases. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

A missing-person call led officers to the federal building

The sequence began Wednesday evening when a caller contacted the San Diego Police Department to report that Haden was potentially missing. Officers responded to the federal courthouse complex downtown, and a short time later found Haden deceased inside one of the building's offices.

SDPD Sgt. Saum Poorsaleh confirmed the police response in a statement:

"Out of an abundance of caution, SDPD investigators responded to the scene, and no foul play is suspected."

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office will make the official determination on cause and manner of death. That ruling remains pending. Newsmax reported that authorities found no signs of criminal activity at the scene.

Who placed the missing-person call and what prompted it have not been publicly disclosed. The investigation remains open.

Haden twice stepped in as the top federal prosecutor in Southern California

Haden joined the U.S. Attorney's Office in 2010 and built a career as a trial prosecutor. He served roughly two months as acting U.S. Attorney during a leadership transition in 2023, then stepped into the role again for a similar stretch in 2025. Fox News reported that his most recent appointment came after President Trump fired Biden-appointee Tara McGrath from the post.

Before entering law, Haden spent five years in the Navy and deployed overseas twice. He grew up in San Diego, attended University City High School, earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Stanford, and went to law school at the University of San Diego. He also clerked for U.S. District Judge Thomas J. Whelan.

The Southern District of California, which covers the San Diego region along the U.S.-Mexico border, handles some of the federal government's heaviest caseloads on immigration, drug trafficking, and cross-border crime. Serving as its top prosecutor, even in an acting capacity, placed Haden at the center of federal law enforcement in one of the most operationally demanding districts in the country. The Department of Justice has faced intense scrutiny over staffing and leadership decisions across U.S. Attorney offices nationwide.

Colleagues called his death 'one of the darkest days' in the office's history

U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, who currently leads the Southern District office, issued a public statement mourning Haden on Thursday. Gordon also held a staff meeting and emailed all employees to notify them of the death.

"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. We will honor his life and legacy by carrying his light forward, today and always."

Chief Judge Cynthia Bashant of the Southern District of California told the San Diego Union-Tribune that Haden's death was a "loss for everyone" and described him as "well loved and well respected."

Defense attorney Jeremy Warren, who often faced off against Haden in court, told the same paper that their professional rivalry never became personal.

"The fact that we remained friends throughout is a testament to the type of guy he was."

Warren called the death "a huge blow to the entire federal community in San Diego."

Scott C. Carr, executive director of the San Diego County Bar Association, said the local legal community was "devastated" by Haden's sudden death. Carr remembered Haden as a supportive boss and friendly colleague who always had a kind word. In a LinkedIn tribute, Carr wrote simply: "Our legal community lost a good one."

The tributes painted a consistent picture, a prosecutor respected not only by his own office but by the defense bar and the bench. That kind of cross-aisle regard is not common in the adversarial world of federal criminal law, and it makes Haden's death all the more difficult for those who worked alongside him. The case echoes other recent deaths that have left communities searching for answers.

A family member's post urged others to seek help

Billy Haden, identified as a family member, posted a raw tribute on Facebook after learning of the death:

"Shocking, heartbreaking, surreal, just can't wrap my head around it at the moment. Always remember TOMORROW NEEDS YOU! 988 RIP LT Andrew Haden."

The reference to 988, the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, carried its own weight. Billy Haden did not elaborate on the circumstances, but the message was direct: reach out before it is too late.

Several key questions remain unanswered. The medical examiner has not yet issued an official ruling. It is unclear whether Haden was still serving in an acting capacity at the time of his death or had returned to a line-prosecutor role. The identity of the person who reported him missing has not been disclosed, nor have the circumstances that led to that call. The Trump administration has continued to reshape leadership at U.S. Attorney offices across the country, and whether any professional pressures factored into Haden's state of mind is unknown.

What is known is that a 48-year-old Navy veteran, Stanford graduate, career prosecutor, husband, and father walked into a federal building in the city where he grew up, and did not walk out.

The people who knew Andrew Haden best say he spent his career doing the work that holds a civilized society together. The least his community can do now is ask the hard questions about what the system does, and does not do, to take care of the people who carry that weight.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.