Yvonne "Missy" Woods, 62, was sentenced by a Colorado court on 8/9 to 10 years in prison for perjury, conspiracy to influence a public servant, forgery, and cybercrime.
Authorities said that due to errors and inadequate record-keeping during her work, she not only failed to rectify issues but also modified data to conceal serious manipulations. Her misconduct was discovered in cases involving murder, sexual assault, robbery, and other serious crimes.
Prosecutors were forced to review hundreds of cases, and at least one murder conviction has been overturned due to her misconduct. They had sought a sentence of up to 16 years in prison for Woods. Convictions in other cases have also been appealed in courts across Colorado due to Yvonne's actions.
According to case records, a murder suspect was released from prison in 2025 after lawyers argued that DNA evidence had been mishandled by Yvonne "Missy" Woods. Prosecutors said they would seek to re-try the individual.
State officials estimated the cost of addressing the fallout from her actions could exceed 11 million USD. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation stated it has sought to reform its laboratories to address the data scandal and restore public trust.
Woods resigned in 2023 after a career spanning decades. "For many years, I was entrusted with evidence that could have serious consequences for defendants, victims, families, and the courts. I failed to fulfill that responsibility. I deeply regret this shortcoming," she said before her sentencing.
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Yvonne "Missy" Woods in court. *Photo: AP* |
For nearly three decades, Yvonne was a renowned forensic scientist for Colorado, trusted by police and prosecutors to examine DNA evidence that helped resolve complex and cold cases. According to court documents, Woods was proficient at finding the faintest DNA samples on old crime scene evidence collected years before advanced forensic methods emerged. Her work was considered the "gold standard" by colleagues and helped authorities convict many notorious murderers.
Hai Thu (via AP)
