DENVER, Colo. (KMGH) — A spokesperson with the Denver Police Department (DPD) says the Denver Crime Lab (DCL) has found new leads after testing multiple DNA samples from sexual assault cases that were affected by the alleged misconduct of former CBI DNA Analyst Yvonne Missy Woods.
Replying to a Denver7 inquiry, DPD said the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had identified 27 Denver sexual assault cases that may have been affected by Woods. Of those cases, three were flagged by CBI as high-risk, and additional DNA testing was carried out by the DCL.
After an independent review of the Denver cases Woods worked on, the DCL decided to conduct additional testing on 10 more cases for a total of 13.
Work was carried out by the lab between April 2025 and March 2026. The re-testing yielded eligible DNA profiles for 11 of the 13 cases, and six of those 11 profiles generated investigative leads to potential suspects or other criminal investigations.
All 13 of the cases remain active criminal investigations, and DPD is not sharing information on the specifics of each of the cases at this point. Once the crime lab issues final reports on their findings, the details will be presented to the Denver District Attorney's Office.
"DCL remains committed to ensuring the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of forensic DNA results," a DPD spokesperson said in an email. "The DCL will continue to independently evaluate additional Denver sexual assault cases for re-testing and will coordinate with CBI to ensure accurate scientific results throughout the process. We appreciate the collaborative partnership and cooperation by the CBI in addressing this matter."
Back in June, Woods pleaded guilty to four counts in Jefferson County Court, reversing an original not guilty plea in February.
Watch Denver7 senior investigator Jennifer Kovaleski's previous coverage in the video below:
The charges she ultimately pleaded guilty to in June included cybercrime, perjury, attempting to influence a public servant, and forgery. The other 100 remaining counts were dismissed as part of a plea agreement between her defense attorneys and prosecutors.
The state has allocated more than $7 million to deal with the fallout from the case. CBI officials have said the case has created severe backlogs in both DNA evidence cases and sexual assault tests are experiencing delays.
Editor's Note: The original headline of this story stated the CBI identified new leads; this was incorrect; it was the Denver Crime Lab.
