Documents reveal details of investigation into CBI DNA scientist

BOULDER, Colorado – The results of an internal investigation by a state DNA researcher have been kept under wraps and made available only to a few attorneys, but defense attorneys in a Boulder County murder case released some of those details in a motion filed this month.

9NEWS Investigates obtained a copy of that motion through a public records request. The document provides the most detailed account yet of why Yvonne “Missy” Woods, a former DNA analyst with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (DBI), became the subject of a criminal investigation in late 2023.

Her work during her 29-year career at the CBI is under doubt. An internal investigation found that Woods had cut corners, calling into question the reliability of the tests she conducted. According to the CBI, more than 650 cases were affected by Woods’ data manipulation. A review of her work from 1994 to 2008 is still ongoing.

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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 on the grounds that “the entire case has been tainted by what Agent Woods did,” the motion states.

Coughlin’s lawyers are calling it a “cover-up.” They said the CBI has known for at least ten years that Woods had improperly handled evidence and deleted data.

The motion states that in 2013 or 2014, an agent caught Woods improperly testing her DNA and she reported it to a supervisor. Another agent discovered in 2014 that Woods had deleted data from a sample. This was reported to the same supervisor.

In 2018, the motion states, one of those agents discovered that Woods had deleted assets in a high-profile murder case in which Alex Ewing was the defendant. Ewing was convicted of two counts of multiple counts of premeditated murder.

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The motion states that the agent confronted Woods, who responded that another analyst does this “all the time.” The agent reported the problem to his supervisor.

The agent recommended to a supervisor that Woods “never touch evidence again.” The agent later discussed this with the CBI’s deputy director and a then-lab director, who asked the agent to keep the information confidential, the motion states.

According to the application, the CBI removed Woods from the task of analyzing further samples and ordered her to begin psychological counseling. Woods resumed casework a few months later.

The current criminal investigation into Woods’ work did not 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 states. That led to a more thorough review of Woods’ casework.

Coughlin’s lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss the murder charge, but no hearing has yet taken place on that motion.

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Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty issued a statement saying, in part, “There are reasonable doubts about the analyst’s credibility, but not about the integrity of every sample or piece of evidence she ever handled. Therefore, in this specific case, we have opposed the defendant’s motion to dismiss the case. We will continue to work to hold the defendant accountable for his role in these tragic murders.”

Woods’ attorney Ryan Brackley said his client would not comment on allegations made in open cases and would continue to cooperate with all internal and external investigations into her work.

9NEWS Investigates reached out to CBI for comment on the details of the motion filed in Boulder County. CBI said Woods was able to tamper with the DNA testing system she helped develop.

The internal investigation found no evidence that Woods had falsified DNA matches; instead, she had deviated from standard testing protocols.

The CBI announced preliminary findings of the internal investigation earlier this year. The agency said on Tuesday that it was not disclosing the full contents of the report to avoid any potential impact on the ongoing criminal investigation. The CBI said the internal investigation found that it had concealed its activities using its knowledge of the testing procedures and protocols.

“Following the discovery of Woods’ actions in tampering with DNA analysis data in 2023 and covering up her misconduct, the CBI is carefully reviewing all of its testing protocols,” said CBI Director Chris Schaefer. “Not only is Woods’ caseload being reviewed, but we are also reviewing the results of all current and past DNA scientists to ensure the integrity of the lab.”

The CBI said it has made changes to improve the integrity of its testing procedures and results. The agency has conducted an internal review of the results of all current and former DNA scientists at CBI-accredited labs. None of the CBI’s other forensic scientists have been charged with wrongdoing, the agency said in a statement.

If you would like to contact 9NEWS Investigates regarding the Missy Woods investigation, please email [email protected].

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