BOULDER, Colo — The results of an internal affairs investigation into a state DNA scientist have been under seal and shared with only a few attorneys, but defense lawyers in a Boulder County murder case shared some of those details in a motion filed this month.
9NEWS Investigates obtained a copy of that motion through an open records request. The document offers the most detailed account yet of why Yvonne "Missy" Woods, a former DNA analyst at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), became the subject of a criminal investigation in late 2023.
Her work over a 29-year career at CBI is under question. An internal investigation found Woods cut corners, which called into question the reliability of the testing she conducted. CBI said more than 650 cases have been impacted by Woods' data manipulation. A review of her work from 1994 to 2008 is still underway.
One of those cases is the Boulder County murder trial of Garrett Coughlin, who is accused of killing three people. His defense team has asked the court to dismiss the charges, saying the "entire case has been tainted by what Agent Woods has done," according to the motion.
Coughlin's attorneys call it a "cover-up." They said CBI has known for at least 10 years that Woods improperly handled evidence and deleted data.
The motion says that in 2013 or 2014, an agent caught Woods testing DNA improperly and she reported it to a supervisor. A different agent in 2014 found Woods had deleted data from a sample. That was reported to the same supervisor.
In 2018, the motion says, one of those agents found Woods deleted values in a high-profile homicide case in which Alex Ewing was the defendant. Ewing was convicted of multiple counts of first-degree murder in two cases.
The motion says the agent confronted Woods, who responded that another analyst "does it all the time." The agent reported the problem to supervisors.
The agent suggested to a supervisor that Woods "never touch evidence again." The agent later discussed this with the CBI deputy director and a lab director at that time who asked the agent to keep the information confidential, the motion says.
CBI removed Woods from analyzing further samples and asked her to begin mental health counseling, according to the motion. Woods began casework again a few months later.
The current criminal investigation into Woods' work didn't begin until late 2023. In September 2023, an intern was working on a research project and found missing data values in cases analyzed by Woods, the motion says. That led to a more thorough review of Woods' casework.
Coughlin's attorneys asked for the murder charges to be dismissed. A hearing to discuss that motion has not taken place yet.
Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty provided a statement that reads in part, "There are legitimate questions about the analyst’s credibility but not the integrity of every sample or piece of evidence she ever handled. So, in this specific case, we have opposed the defendant’s motion to dismiss. We will continue working to hold this defendant responsible for his role in these tragic murders.”
Woods' attorney, Ryan Brackley, said his client will not comment on assertions made in any open cases and that she continues to cooperate in any internal or external investigations regarding her work.
9NEWS Investigates reached out to CBI for a comment on the details shared in the motion filed in Boulder County. CBI said Woods was able to manipulate the DNA testing system that she helped build.
The internal affairs investigation did not find evidence Woods falsified DNA matches but instead she deviated from standard testing protocols.
CBI announced preliminary findings from the internal affairs investigation earlier this year. The agency on Tuesday said it didn't disclose the full contents of that report to avoid potential impacts on the ongoing criminal investigation. CBI said the internal investigation found she concealed her activities using her knowledge of the testing process and protocols.
“Following the discovery of Woods’ actions in manipulating DNA analysis data in 2023, and obscuring her wrongdoing, CBI is meticulously reviewing all of its testing protocols,” said CBI Director Chris Schaefer. “Not only is Woods’ caseload being reviewed, but we are auditing the results of all current and previous DNA scientists to ensure the integrity of the Lab.”
CBI said it has implemented changes to enhance the integrity of its testing processes and results. The agency has conducted an internal review of the results of all current and former DNA scientists at CBI-accredited labs. No other CBI forensic scientists were found to have engaged in misconduct, according to a statement from the agency.
If you want to reach out to 9NEWS Investigates about the Missy Woods investigation, send an email to kelly.reinke@9news.com.
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