Keith Hayden is a mercenary contracted by ICPO to succeed Inspector Zenigata in pursuing Lupin III, following Zenigata's repeated inability to capture the thief alive. Hayden's mandate explicitly authorizes lethal force, allowing him to kill Lupin and his associates instead of apprehending them. This brutal policy starkly contrasts with Zenigata's methods, reflecting Hayden's background as a ruthless, efficient operative unconcerned with due process.

Though operating independently, Hayden secretly collaborates with John Klause, leader of the international arms smuggling group Shot Shell. This hidden allegiance shapes his actions during the pursuit, as he simultaneously attempts to eliminate Lupin's gang and advance Klause's interests. His aggressive tactics feature ambushes, explosives, and close-quarters combat, including stabbing Goemon Ishikawa XIII and trapping Daisuke Jigen in an explosive-laden hut.

At the climax on Klause's island base, Hayden nearly executes Lupin before Jigen intervenes and shoots him. Displaying extreme resilience, Hayden survives multiple gunshot wounds inflicted by Jigen, Lupin, and Karen Korinsky, persistently struggling to rise and continue fighting. Lupin finally kills him with a precise headshot. His death concludes his role as an antagonist defined by brutality and corruption. Hayden appears solely in *Voyage to Danger*.