Colorado launches criminal probe into forensic analyst Yvonne 'Missy' Woods who 'performed shoddy DNA testing & altered data

[Gardenista]

I swear she looks familiar

Colorado launches probe into forensic analyst Yvonne 'Missy' Woods

Woods, 60, is under investigation for allegedly performing shoddy DNA testing and altering data. Her work and testimonies have sent hundreds of people to jail over her three-decade career.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Colorado has launched a criminal probe into its star forensic analyst Yvonne 'Missy' Woods after 'anomalies' were found in her DNA testing work.

Woods, 60, is under investigation for allegedly performing shoddy DNA testing and altering data. Her work and testimonies have sent hundreds of people to jail over her three-decade career - and now thousands of cases may have to be reopened.

She has worked in her trade for 29 years, and was considered the state's 'gold standard' by colleagues for helping to put infamous murderers behind bars.

The shocking discovery was made in November, when the Colorado Bureau of Investigation performed an internal review and found that some of her crucial data was altered or missing. Woods, 60, abruptly resigned.

 

[Gardenista]

I swear she looks familiar

Colorado launches probe into forensic analyst Yvonne 'Missy' Woods

Woods, 60, is under investigation for allegedly performing shoddy DNA testing and altering data. Her work and testimonies have sent hundreds of people to jail over her three-decade career.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Colorado has launched a criminal probe into its star forensic analyst Yvonne 'Missy' Woods after 'anomalies' were found in her DNA testing work.

Woods, 60, is under investigation for allegedly performing shoddy DNA testing and altering data. Her work and testimonies have sent hundreds of people to jail over her three-decade career - and now thousands of cases may have to be reopened.

She has worked in her trade for 29 years, and was considered the state's 'gold standard' by colleagues for helping to put infamous murderers behind bars.

The shocking discovery was made in November, when the Colorado Bureau of Investigation performed an internal review and found that some of her crucial data was altered or missing. Woods, 60, abruptly resigned.

Cases mentioned in the article

Diego Olmos Alcalde - murder of Susannah Chase

Alex Ewing 'Hammer Killer' - serial killer

Robert Harlan - convicted of the kidnap, rape and murder of Rhonda Maloney

Garrett Coughlin - convicted of killing 3

Aaron Thompson - convicted child abuser

James Whitler - convicted of murder in Fort Collin

James Hunter - convicted in 2002 for sexual assault and burglary

 

[Shamrock1]

Reminds me of Annie Dookhan, another “star.”

Annie Dookhan - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Gardenista]

WS threads

Diego Olmos Alcalde

GUILTY - CO - Susannah Chase, 23, raped & murdered, Boulder, 21 Dec 1997

... This one: 'Significant developments' in Susannah Chase homicide A quote from the article: "Boulder police have called a press conference for 2 p.m. today to announce 'significant developments' in the investigation of the 1997 killing of University of Colorado senior Susannah Chase...

www.websleuths.com

Alex Ewing GUILTY - CO - Bruce, 27, Debra, 26, & Melissa Bennett, 7, murdered, Aurora, 16 Jan 1984 *inmate arrest 2019*

Robert Harlan

GUILTY - CO - Rhonda Maloney, 25, raped & murdered, Denver, 12 Feb 1994

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/29/bible.deliberations.ap/index.html "Harlan was sentenced to death in 1995, but defense lawyers learned that five jurors had looked up such Bible verses as "eye for eye, tooth for tooth," copied them and discussed them while deliberating behind closed doors."

www.websleuths.com

Garrett Coughlin

GUILTY - CO - Three adults found slain in Boulder County home, 15 April 2017 **Arrest** *Retrial granted 2023*

http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/fort-morgan-local-news/ci_30925794/boulder-county-triple-homicide-investigation-house-was-targeted The Coal Creek Canyon residence where authorities are investigating a triple homicide was specifically targeted, investigators say, and the there is no threat to...

www.websleuths.com

 

[borndem]

Oh, my, what a mess for Colorado. SMH. Hoping they will be able to see what the "errors" were and to get dependable evidence for those who may have possibly been falsely convicted. Lotsa time, money, and now probably a backlog of recent cases that have been awaiting trial.
- - - - - -
A bit from a recent article:
"About 3,000 DNA samples need to be retested by a third-party laboratory, CBI officials estimated in a January budget request. That will cost roughly $3 million. Additionally, the agency asked for $4.4 million to pay out to district attorney’s offices across Colorado to address claims by people who say they were wrongly convicted of crimes because of Woods’ work.
The former CBI scientist was involved in some of Colorado’s most high-profile criminal cases in recent decades, including the 2004 Kobe Bryant rape case, the 1994 murder of Rhonda Maloney, the prosecution of Aaron Thompson in the death of his daughter, and the murder of University of Colorado student Susannah Chase."
Much more here:
"About 3,000 DNA samples need to be retested by a third-party laboratory, CBI officials estimated in a January budget request. That will cost roughly $3 million. Additionally, the agency asked for $4.4 million to pay out to district attorney’s offices across Colorado to address claims by people who say they were wrongly convicted of crimes because of Woods’ work.
The former CBI scientist was involved in some of Colorado’s most high-profile criminal cases in recent decades, including the 2004 Kobe Bryant rape case, the 1994 murder of Rhonda Maloney, the prosecution of Aaron Thompson in the death of his daughter, and the murder of University of Colorado student Susannah Chase."
Source:

CBI expects to spend $7.5 million retesting DNA in thousands of criminal cases due to “anomalies” in lab work

Officials discovered “anomalies” in the DNA testing work of Yvonne “Missy” Woods last year and started both internal and criminal investigations into Woods.

www.denverpost.com

 

[dspdenver]

And another CO DNA mess with this one:

DNA analyst in Northern Colorado fired over handling of evidence, charges pending

A Weld County Sheriff's Office DNA analyst of over 10 years has been fired for alleged mishandling of evidence and the sheriff's office is now pursuing criminal charges. It's the second case of this nature in Colorado in about four months.

www.cbsnews.com

[Chiara Wuensch was fired Wednesday, the sheriff's office said in a statement Friday morning, after a month-long investigation by the sheriff's office. That investigation was initiated after findings from a separate investigation by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation into one of its forensic scientists who's facing similar accusations.]

 

[Gardenista]

And another CO DNA mess with this one:

DNA analyst in Northern Colorado fired over handling of evidence, charges pending

A Weld County Sheriff's Office DNA analyst of over 10 years has been fired for alleged mishandling of evidence and the sheriff's office is now pursuing criminal charges. It's the second case of this nature in Colorado in about four months.

www.cbsnews.com

[Chiara Wuensch was fired Wednesday, the sheriff's office said in a statement Friday morning, after a month-long investigation by the sheriff's office. That investigation was initiated after findings from a separate investigation by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation into one of its forensic scientists who's facing similar accusations.]

Just put her last name in WS search and it looks like she was on the Jonelle Matthews case

GUILTY - CO - Jonelle Matthews, 12, found deceased, Greeley, 20 Dec 1984 *arrest 2020* #2

I find the traffic viewed outside the court room windows annoying while watching the Youtube videos. Never saw a courtroom with windows before. Would be a major distraction for me. Me too! Even though the prosecutor’s opening statement was compelling, I found myself watching and wondering about...

www.websleuths.com

 

[Gardenista]

MSN did a reprint of the WSJ article

The DNA Scandal That Could Threaten Thousands Of Criminal Cases

 

[LadyL]

just great
what a mess

 

[dspdenver]

CBI: Former scientist manipulated data in over 600 cases

A Colorado Bureau of Investigation internal affairs investigation of a former scientist found she had manipulated data in the DNA testing process.

kdvr.com

[...
According to CBI, 652 cases between 2008 and 2023 were identified as being affected by Woods’ data manipulation.

CBI said the data was manipulated in the following ways:

• Deleted and altered data that concealed Woods’ tampering with controls
• Deleted data that concealed Woods’ failure to troubleshoot issues within the testing process
• Failed to provide thorough documentation in the case record related to certain tests performed

Per the investigation, CBI claims the manipulation was intentional on Woods’ part.

“The review did not find that Woods falsified DNA matches or otherwise fabricated DNA profiles. She instead deviated from standard testing protocols and cut corners, calling into question the reliability of the testing she conducted....]

 

[borndem]

From the CBI article above -- 652 cases were identified as being manipulated...by Woods... Talk about a big, fat, mess.
At least it was found, so that it could be stopped. SMH.

 

[PrairieWind]

Just put her last name in WS search and it looks like she was on the Jonelle Matthews case

GUILTY - CO - Jonelle Matthews, 12, found deceased, Greeley, 20 Dec 1984 *arrest 2020* #2

I find the traffic viewed outside the court room windows annoying while watching the Youtube videos. Never saw a courtroom with windows before. Would be a major distraction for me. Me too! Even though the prosecutor’s opening statement was compelling, I found myself watching and wondering about...

www.websleuths.com

""DNA is typically considered to be bulletproof evidence in the identification of the defendant. If there is some problem with that evidence, some credibility issues, that is going to be a really important concern for prosecutors." This is something I have been warning about for some time. There are problems with DNA evidence and this is just one of them. Courts are just starting to reconsider dna evidence and how it is introduced. One of the biggest problems with DNA is what it is offered prove actually. Jurors just hear things like "1 in 10 billion chance this is not the person" and they just assume the case is closed.

 

[vls12345]

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/09/us/colorado-bureau-of-investigation-data-scientist-manipulation-case/index.html

 

[wendybtn]

I swear she looks familiar

Colorado launches probe into forensic analyst Yvonne 'Missy' Woods

Woods, 60, is under investigation for allegedly performing shoddy DNA testing and altering data. Her work and testimonies have sent hundreds of people to jail over her three-decade career.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Colorado has launched a criminal probe into its star forensic analyst Yvonne 'Missy' Woods after 'anomalies' were found in her DNA testing work.

Woods, 60, is under investigation for allegedly performing shoddy DNA testing and altering data. Her work and testimonies have sent hundreds of people to jail over her three-decade career - and now thousands of cases may have to be reopened.

She has worked in her trade for 29 years, and was considered the state's 'gold standard' by colleagues for helping to put infamous murderers behind bars.

The shocking discovery was made in November, when the Colorado Bureau of Investigation performed an internal review and found that some of her crucial data was altered or missing. Woods, 60, abruptly resigned.

She looks like Nikki Haley, I think.

 

[wendybtn]

So she was altering controls and not keeping records of her managing the lab properly? That's not the same as manipulating results in cases. She should have done her job and needed to be let go but I wonder if any verdicts were actually affected. Will be interesting to watch.

 

[Lisbeth_S]

So she was altering controls and not keeping records of her managing the lab properly? That's not the same as manipulating results in cases. She should have done her job and needed to be let go but I wonder if any verdicts were actually affected. Will be interesting to watch.

Unfortunately manipulating controls can affect the results, and therefore potential matches in DNA comparisons.
In addition to that, if the test does not meet industry standard/procedural guidelines, the results may be considered invalid (no one can tell if they're reliable or not if the proper procedure has not been followed).
So the results MAY or may not be reliable, which in a court of law is obviously not good enough.

"Incorporating controls in STR DNA analysis is an essential and required part of the testing process. Introducing controls at each step of the DNA process allows the analyst to identify and troubleshoot possible issues and ensure that the methods used produce accurate and reliable results."
STR Data Analysis and Interpretation for Forensic Analysts

"To ensure that the DNA profile generated from the amplified DNA is representative of the DNA from the evidence sample and not from contamination, and to verify that the testing process is accurate, DNA protocols require forensic DNA scientists to analyze a series of control samples. "
The FBI DNA Laboratory: A Review of Protocol and Practice Vulnerabilities