Former CBI DNA Analyst Admits to Data Tampering, Affecting Hundreds of Cases, Admits WHY She Did It

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Yvonne "Missy" Woods, a former DNA analyst at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), admitted to tampering with data in hundreds of criminal cases to avoid taking additional steps in her analysis, according to a two-hour interview obtained by 9NEWS Investigates. This interview sheds light on the actions of Woods, who was once a celebrated figure in DNA testing. In late 2023, an intern discovered discrepancies in Woods' work during a research project, leading to a deeper investigation. As a result, Woods, a veteran of 29 years at CBI, retired in lieu of termination. This interview marks the first time Woods has publicly explained her actions, which have had far-reaching consequences for families across Colorado. CBI Assistant Director Kellon Hassenstab led the interview, aiming to uncover the extent of the problem.
"We're really trying to determine how bad this problem is for us and what this may impact," Hassenstab said. Woods often responded with "I don't remember" to many of the questions posed. When pressed about the gravity of her actions, Hassenstab remarked, "You literally can be the person whose work brings down CBI Forensic Services and I'm not even exaggerating that, and you've done a lot of good stuff, but the data indicates you've also done a lot of bad stuff too, and we don't have a time machine."
The investigation has revealed that Woods' actions impacted more than 650 cases, with a thorough review of her work from 1994 to 2008 still ongoing. The CBI report indicates that Woods cut corners and deviated from standard testing protocols, raising serious concerns about the reliability of her DNA testing. She tampered with evidence by altering or omitting test results from case files. When asked why she manipulated the data, Woods candidly replied, "I think I'm burned out."
She confessed to deleting data to avoid additional analytical steps and admitted that she concealed her activities from the technical review process. "The implications were not even a thought, and I think that for that stuff it was like click done, move on, click done, move on," Woods explained. "I don't know any of these people. I don't have any reason to pick this one and not the next one that I took forward all the way through whatever." Hassenstab inquired if she felt remorse for her actions. Woods responded, "I didn't even think about it. I didn't even think about it until five weeks ago."
Her acknowledgment came after anomalies in her work were reported. Currently, Woods is under criminal investigation to determine if she violated any laws. She stated that she accepted some responsibility because of "the thought of going down as a completely rogue analyst, as opposed to bucking up and owning [her] actions." Woods' attorney, Ryan Brackley, has emphasized that Woods has never created or falsely reported a DNA match. The internal review supports this, as it did not find evidence of Woods falsifying DNA matches or fabricating DNA profiles. This ongoing investigation aims to ensure that justice is served and that the integrity of the CBI's forensic services is restored.
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