Andrew Haden, a veteran federal prosecutor and former acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, was found dead at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Diego, according to local reports. Authorities said no foul play was suspected at the time of the initial reporting.
Times of San Diego reported that Haden’s cause and manner of death would be determined by the San Diego County Medical Examiner. The office did not announce a final cause in the initial reports, so conclusions about how he died should not be drawn before the medical examination is complete.
Haden joined the Southern District of California office in 2010 and served in leadership roles during his federal career. The Justice Department previously announced that he was sworn in as acting U.S. attorney in 2023 under the Vacancies Reform Act. He also held senior responsibilities within the office’s criminal division and related prosecution work.
The acting U.S. attorney role is the senior leadership position for the district’s federal prosecutor’s office. It oversees major criminal and civil matters, coordinates with federal agencies and represents the Justice Department in litigation within the district. Haden’s earlier appointment reflected the office’s need for continuity while a permanent leadership process was underway.
The San Diego U.S. Attorney’s Office and colleagues are expected to manage the transition while the Medical Examiner’s investigation proceeds. Federal offices often provide limited information in the early stages of a death investigation, especially when the cause has not been certified.
The Andrew Haden San Diego reports therefore confirm his death and his background as a longtime federal prosecutor, but not a final medical explanation. Further information should come from the Medical Examiner, the Justice Department or the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Until then, readers should be cautious with social-media claims about the circumstances.
