Former Colorado Bureau of Investigation DNA analyst Yvonne “Missy” Woods has been charged with 102 felonies after mishandling DNA testing in hundreds of criminal cases. The charges include forgery, perjury, and committing a cybercrime. Woods allegedly altered, deleted, or manipulated DNA data in over 1,000 criminal cases over her 29-year career, costing the state more than $11 million. She is currently in custody on a $50,000 bond.
Woods’ misconduct is expected to have long-term consequences for Colorado’s legal system. The Colorado Office of the State Public Defender is seeking $2 million for wrongful conviction claims and legislation to help affected defendants. Woods’ actions have already resulted in plea deals for some criminals, and one man claims he was wrongfully convicted of murder due to her faulty testing.
An internal investigation found that the CBI allowed Woods to continue working despite repeated concerns about her conduct. She admitted deleting data for “expediency,” allowing her to work on more cases. The criminal charges stem from 58 specific cases, mostly sexual assaults. Prosecutors are only pursuing charges where they believe Woods’ misconduct crossed the line into criminal behavior.
The CBI has faced scrutiny over the handling of Woods’ misconduct, which has led to a backlog in sexual assault testing. The agency has since received funding to retest DNA samples and address claims of wrongful convictions. In an effort to restore public confidence in its work, the CBI has hired an outside consulting firm to review its forensics practices.
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