A bombshell investigation has revealed that a DNA analyst in Colorado has been manipulating data for at least 15 years.
Yvonne Woods, a former scientist at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), is accused of omitting crucial evidence and tampering with test results. This raises serious questions about the integrity of countless criminal cases.
The CBI is now scrambling to review all of Woods’ work done between 1994 and 2023. This massive undertaking is necessary to ensure that justice has been served in all the cases she touched.
“At this time, 652 cases have been identified as affected by Woods’ data manipulation between 2008 and 2023. A review of Woods’ work from 1994 to 2008 is also underway,” the CBI said in a release. “She instead deviated from standard testing protocols and cut corners, calling into question the reliability of the testing she conducted,…. she should have conducted additional testing to ensure the reliability of her results in these affected cases.”
According to the release, The CBI Internal investigation, dated February 26, 2024, determined that Woods:
- Omitted material facts in official criminal justice records
- Tampered with DNA testing results by omitting some of those results
- Violated CBI’s Code of Conduct and CBI laboratory policies ranging from data retention to quality control measures
CBI’s DNA forensics team identified the following types of manipulation in Woods’ work:
- 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
Another analyst, Chiara Wuensch, from the Weld County Sheriff’s Office, was also fired for similar misconduct. According to the Sherrif’s office Wuensch “violated the Weld County Code for expectations of proper conduct, and the sheriff’s office standards of conduct policy for not cooperating with the agency’s internal investigation.”
