The most famous US forensic scientist has been falsifying DNA tests for many years and putting people behind bars (7 photos)

In the US state of Colorado, a huge scandal erupted around forensic scientist Yvonne Missy Woods, who worked for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for almost three decades. It turned out that she manipulated DNA data in hundreds of investigations. Lenta.ru understands this story.





The investigation against Woods began in September 2023

In March, the CBI released an internal investigation report against Woods and accused her of numerous violations. The name Woods was well known to Americans interested in crime news: they had seen her more than once in reports from Colorado courts. The 60-year-old expert was involved in comparing DNA samples from crime scenes, and very often her testimony became decisive in trials of serious crimes.

Colleagues called Woods a real star in forensic science; her work in the study of biological materials was considered exemplary and helped put about a thousand criminals behind bars. In addition, Woods trained young DNA experts, so her contribution to the Colorado justice system was simply enormous.

However, from September 2023, a tangle of events began to unfold, which led to the appearance of a report from the CBI internal investigations department, where Woods worked for almost 30 years. In October 2023, she was sent on leave. In November, unexpectedly for everyone, I quit. On the same day, information appeared about certain “anomalies” in the work of the legendary forensic expert.



Woods was accused of hundreds of frauds in DNA research of criminals

CBI Investigation Report against Woods The CBI Investigation Report against Woods was released on Friday, March 8th, and sent shock waves across America. It turned out that the celebrity forensic scientist did not directly falsify DNA matches or create false DNA profiles, but did delete or change certain data in criminal cases, and also distorted test results. The report said she "deviated from standard investigative procedures and cut corners."

In fact, this may mean that Woods adjusted the results of her work to some criteria known only to her so that they would incriminate a certain person. And the main problem is that now investigators have to find out in which cases the DNA data was altered by her in one way or another.





And the mess is really terrible. Currently, 652 criminal cases are already in doubt, and so far the CBI is only checking investigations in which Woods participated from 2008 to 2023. And she came to work at the bureau in 1994, that is, there are still several hundred dubious cases.

About three thousand DNA tests conducted by Woods need to be rechecked. This is how many tests CBI laboratories do in a year. The medical examiner's questionable antics have already cost the state $7.5 million.



Yvonne Woods played a key role in several famous investigations, the results of which are now in doubt

Woods devoted much of her time in the service to investigating old crimes where the perpetrator was never found.

One of her most famous disclosures was the capture of a maniac who in the United States was nicknamed the “Colorado Hammer Killer.” In 1984, someone killed a family of three in the city of Aurora. They were all hammered down. After some time, the police found another woman who had been raped and killed in the same way.

Until 2018, the investigation remained motionless. However, once Woods connected, a suspect quickly emerged. DNA tests carried out by a celebrity forensic scientist pointed to Alex Ewing, who had previously served time for assault with a hammer.

In 2021, Woods gave a three-hour speech in court, which convinced the jury that it was he who committed the terrible atrocities. The medical examiner said Ewing's DNA was found on items in the home where the crime occurred.

The man was sentenced to four life sentences. Now this matter is also in doubt.

Another famous "historical" Woods case dates back to 2009. Then she solved the murder of University of Colorado student Suzanne Chase in 1997. Woods accused Diego Olmos Alcalde of the crime and provided a comparative analysis of his DNA profile and biological samples found at the crime scene

Alcalde found guiltynom and sentenced to life imprisonment without the right to parole. The interesting thing here is that Alcalde did not accept the verdict and has filed several appeals over the past 15 years. All of them were rejected. Now he has a chance to reconsider the case. “One of the critical questions now is whether someone innocent was convicted as a result of wrongful conduct,” the state bar office said.



Alex Ewing at a court hearing, 2020

But the main problem for lawyers and law enforcement officers in Colorado is not only that innocent people could end up behind bars. The real murderers may now have the opportunity to be released if it turns out that the investigation of their cases was conducted with violations. The arbitrariness that Woods allowed herself provides attackers with an excellent “window” for escaping punishment.

One inmate has already filed a lawsuit against Woods.

Since the investigation began, Woods said through her attorney that she is cooperating with law enforcement “to uphold the accuracy of our work, which resulted in truthful and fair results.”

However, her name has already been mentioned in one lawsuit from a prisoner. Immediately after the medical examiner's resignation was reported in November, James Hunter's lawyer accused Woods of wrongfully convicting him.

Hunter was arrested in 2002 and accused of raping a woman and her five-year-old daughter in Lakewood. The American said that she and her child were attacked by an unknown person with a stocking on his head. She claimed that the criminal's voice was similar to Hunter's.

First, Woods conducted a microscopic analysis of hair from the crime scene (this method was considered extremely unreliable by the US Department of Justice in 2015 and is no longer used) and stated that it belonged to Hunter. However, at the request of the lawyer, third-party experts conducted a re-analysis and determined that it was the victim’s hair. When the test result was announced in court, Woods said “it was a blow to her pride.” The case was dropped

However, almost a year later, investigators said they found another hair at the crime scene. Woods conducted a DNA test and stated that the hair belonged to Hunter. He was arrested again and eventually found guilty. He is still behind bars.

The latest discoveries allow one to only guess whether Woods really caught the rapist or just did not want to sacrifice her pride and reputation, which she still cares about. Mark Burton, Hunter's lawyer, has already spoken quite sharply on this matter: "When we heard about the Missy Woods case, everything fell into place."



Yvonne Woods demonstrates comparative DNA analysis in the case of Diego Olmosom Alcalde, 2009

CBI investigators said one of the main tasks now is to determine whether Woods' manipulation of DNA was negligent or a deliberate forgery for the sake of fame as the best forensic scientist in the United States.

In Colorado, another forensic scientist was discovered with “anomalies” in his work.

The investigation against Missy Woods led the CBI to another DNA specialist whose work revealed similar oddities. On February 28, about a week before the release of the CBI report on Woods' activities, the Weld County Sheriff's Office in Colorado fired DNA analyst Chiara Wunsch, who had worked there for ten years.

While the sheriff's office is not disclosing exactly what violations the medical examiner committed, it appears she was doing much the same thing Woods was doing—slightly adjusting forensic evidence to point to specific suspects.

"There is a possibility that a shadow could be cast over every major case that this officer has worked on in recent years. DNA is generally considered irreproachable evidence, but if there is a question about the reliability of this evidence, then this is a huge problem for the prosecutor's office," said the CBS legal consultant. News Colorado



Yvonne Woods

A real information bomb exploded in the state of Colorado, which could affect not only local law enforcement officers, but also attitudes towards DNA analysis around the world. Until recently, the use of these materials in an investigation was indeed considered the most reliable method of exposing a criminal or acquitting an innocent person.

But what if it wasn't just Woods and Wünsch who were involved in forgery and manipulation of DNA tests? This is quite possible to imagine.

And law enforcement officers, it seems, will now have to treat the work of forensic experts with great caution, no matter how professional and impartial it may seem at first glance.