A Colorado crime lab analyst faces over 100 criminal charges for allegedly altering DNA reports in sexual assault cases, potentially impacting over 500 cases. Yvonne 'Missy' Woods is accused of manipulating data, deleting information, and hiding contamination, leading to inaccurate reports.
A Colorado crime lab analyst is facing over 100 criminal counts in connection with allegations that she altered reports in sexual assault cases. Yvonne 'Missy' Woods was charged with 52 counts of forgery, 48 counts of attempt to influence a public servant, one count of first-degree perjury and one count of cybercrime, according to the district attorney for the First Judicial District.
Woods is accused of altering and deleting quantification values, rerunning batches of DNA without documentation and hiding potential contamination. She is alleged to have submitted reports that said 'No Male DNA Found' in over 30 sexual assault cases where DNA was found or contamination was present. Jail records show Woods was in custody on Thursday morning. An attorney who was named in an affidavit for Woods' arrest warrant did not immediately return an email requesting comment. In November 2023, Colorado authorities asked the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation to investigate Woods' work, the affidavit said. She worked at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation from January 1994 until her retirement in November 2023. According to the affidavit, an error was discovered by a Colorado Bureau of Investigation intern two months prior to the request. The intern, who was not identified, was assigned a project to review quantification data and alerted the lab's management that specific data appeared to be missing, the affidavit said. An internal investigation was launched reviewing all of Woods' cases, finding several instances of deleted or altered data, according to the affidavit. In a recorded interview, Woods was asked about her work at the lab and how contaminated DNA samples were handled. Woods told investigators that prior to around 2017 or 2018, some contamination was accepted, the affidavit said. But since then, she allegedly said, any contamination would have to be addressed, and she agreed with investigators that it would take a 'considerable amount of time' to rerun batches of DNA. Woods was asked during the interview about discrepancies in her work, including a time she was placed on leave in 2018 over concerns of manipulated or altered data, the affidavit said. Woods allegedly said during the interview that she didn't know if similar cases of manipulated data were all intentional and could not give a timeline for when she allegedly began altering data. 'She was asked what the benefit would be for deleting or manipulating data and she quickly replied, 'Being able to report the case,'' the affidavit said. At one point, the affidavit said, Woods was asked if she deleted the data 'to simply move specific cases forward quickly, to avoid having to do additional work and she agreed.' Over 500 cases were affected by Woods' inaccurate reports beginning in 2008, according to the the affidavit. Those cases are now 'in question' due to the alleged data manipulation. The district attorney’s office said the financial cost of Woods’ alleged misconduct totaled more than $11 million. A Wisconsin-based firm has been contracted to review the bureau’s policies and procedures in the fallout and provide solutions for any potential improvements, according to NBC affiliate KUSA. The firm has been given a $770,000 contract, the station said
DNA Sexual Assault Crime Lab Data Manipulation Colorado
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Bad Bunny Becomes the First Latin Artist to Tally 100 Career Hot 100 HitsBad Bunny has become the first Latin artist with 100-plus career Hot 100 hits. Get the details.
Read more »
T3 Financial Crime Unit Freezes 100 Million USDT on TronThe T3 Financial Crime Unit, a collaboration between Tron, Tether, and TRM Labs, has frozen 100 million USDT linked to illicit activities.
Read more »
JonBenet Ramsey's Father Pushes for Outside Lab to Test Crime-Scene EvidenceJohn Ramsey plans to meet with the Boulder Police Department chief in January, accompanied by a representative from a genetic genealogy research lab, to request the testing of crime-scene evidence from his daughter's unsolved 1996 murder case.
Read more »
Colorado DNA crime analyst due in court to face forgery and other chargesA former Colorado Bureau of Investigation DNA scientist faces 102 criminal charges after authorities said she cut corners and didn’t follow standard testing protocols in hundreds of criminal cases. Yvonne “Missy” Woods is due to make an initial appearance Thursday in state district court in Jefferson County.
Read more »
Colorado DNA crime analyst due in court to face forgery and other chargesA former Colorado Bureau of Investigation DNA scientist faces 102 criminal charges after authorities said she cut corners and didn’t follow standard testing protocols in hundreds of criminal cases
Read more »
New York Politicians Criticized for 'Soft-on-Crime' Approach Amid Subway Crime SurgeCritics accuse New York politicians, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, of failing to adequately address the rising crime rate on the city's subway system. 'Guardian Angels' founder Curtis Sliwa slams their response as a 'slap in the face' to residents.
Read more »