Top Federal Prosecutor Found Dead Inside Fed Building

Police found Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden dead inside a San Diego federal building after he was reported missing, and detectives said they suspect no foul play.

Story Snapshot

Police located Haden in an office at the Edward J. Schwartz federal building after a missing-person call.
Detectives said they do not suspect foul play at this time.
The official cause and manner of death await the Medical Examiner’s review.
The site is the federal building designated as Edward J. Schwartz by Congress.

What Happened Inside The Federal Building

San Diego police received a missing-person report for Andrew Haden on Wednesday evening. Officers later responded to the Edward J. Schwartz federal building at 880 Front Street and found Haden dead inside an office. Police stated they do not suspect foul play. Haden was 48 and had served as a career federal prosecutor, including two stints as acting United States Attorney in the Southern District of California. The building’s formal designation as the Edward J. Schwartz Courthouse and Federal Building is set in federal law.

Police described a standard death investigation process. Detectives secured the scene, checked for obvious signs of a crime, and found none to support foul play. That early call sets an important boundary: police do not see evidence of an attack or a struggle. It does not replace the Medical Examiner’s job, which is to determine the medical cause of death and classify the manner of death after review, testing, and records checks.

What “No Foul Play” Actually Means

Medical and legal systems draw a bright line between two questions. First, what physically caused the death. Second, how to classify the circumstances. The Medical Examiner names the cause, such as disease or injury, and the manner, such as natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined. When investigators say “no foul play suspected,” they are reporting what the scene shows, not issuing a final forensic ruling. Cases can remain “pending” until toxicology and other steps are complete.

Public health guidance treats “pending” as a normal status when facts are still coming together. Toxicology can take weeks. Medical records can add key history. Police reports can shift details as interviews line up with timelines. Only after those steps can the Medical Examiner issue a final death certificate with cause and manner. That process reduces guesswork and keeps the record accurate for courts, families, and statistics.

Who Andrew Haden Was, And Why The Setting Matters

Haden worked major cases for years and twice led the office as acting United States Attorney, a post that directs federal prosecutions in the region. His death in a federal building adds public attention and pressure. Federal buildings carry strict security and detailed logs, which help investigators. The Edward J. Schwartz complex houses multiple federal offices and the courthouse, making it both a workplace and a symbol of federal justice in San Diego. That setting ensures a careful review of facts and timelines.

Former acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden, 48, was found dead Wednesday night inside a vacant office at the

Police responded after a missing person report and discovered him at 880 Front St., which houses the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. No… pic.twitter.com/zEvYUcTQJY

— Gina Beana Fofina (@Ginasassyass) August 22, 2026

Reporting from recognized outlets focused on three core facts: the missing-person call, the discovery inside the federal building, and the police assessment that foul play was not suspected. Those facts form a clear narrative without drama. They also reflect a conservative, common-sense approach to public safety news: separate what is known from what is pending, avoid rumors, and let qualified officials finish their work. That is how trust is built, one verified step at a time.