A crime lab analyst in Colorado, Yvonne “Missy” Woods, is facing over 100 criminal counts related to allegations that she altered reports in sexual assault cases. The charges against her include forgery, attempt to influence a public servant, perjury, and cybercrime. Woods is accused of manipulating DNA quantification values, rerunning batches of DNA without documentation, and concealing contamination. She allegedly submitted reports stating “No Male DNA Found” in sexual assault cases where DNA was actually present.
The investigation into Woods’ work began in November 2023, when Colorado authorities asked the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation to look into her conduct. An intern at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation discovered missing data in Woods’ reports two months prior to the request, prompting a broader internal review. This review revealed several instances of altered or deleted data in Woods’ cases.
In a recorded interview with investigators, Woods admitted to manipulating data but claimed she did not know if it was intentional. She stated that her actions were meant to move cases along quickly and avoid additional work. Over 500 cases dating back to 2008 were impacted by Woods’ alleged misconduct, casting doubt on the validity of her reports. The financial cost of her actions is estimated to be over $11 million.
In response to the scandal, a Wisconsin-based firm has been hired to review the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s policies and procedures. The firm has been given a $770,000 contract to identify areas for improvement and ensure similar incidents do not occur in the future.
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