Overview
- Yvonne “Missy” Woods pleaded guilty on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, to one count each of cybercrime, perjury, attempt to influence a public servant, and forgery as part of a deal that dismissed about 100 other charges.
- Under the agreement Woods accepted a stipulated prison term of eight to 16 years and a sentencing hearing was scheduled for Sept. 8, 2026 in Jefferson County Court.
- An arrest affidavit alleges Woods omitted or altered DNA results and sometimes re-tested samples until they produced results she expected, conduct that prosecutors say undermines the integrity of her forensic work.
- The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has identified more than 1,000 cases from 1994 to 2023 involving Woods, estimated remediation costs near $11 million, and one conviction tied to her work was vacated and the defendant released.
- The case prompted the CBI to request an outside probe by South Dakota’s DCI, drove state legislative changes for reporting lab misconduct, and is likely to trigger re-testing, retrials, and further legal review that could affect defendants and victims.