TRUE CRIME NEWSJonBenét Ramsey Investigation in Question as Boulder Analyst Who May Have Worked Case Pleads Guilty to Mishandling DNA
New concerns emerge as a forensic scientist involved in the JonBenét Ramsey investigation has pleaded guilty to mishandling DNA.
June 26 2026, Published 5:51 p.m. ET
Former Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) DNA analyst Yvonne "Missy" Woods pleaded guilty to four felonies (cybercrime, perjury, attempting to influence a public servant and forgery). She faces 8 to 16 years in prison, bringing an end to a scandal that impacted more than 1,000 criminal cases across the state.
Woods was a forensic scientist with the CBI during the 1996 murder of 6-year-old JonBenét Ramsey and was tied to evidence files in the case.
JonBenét Ramsey's 1996 murder remains unsolved.
Unidentified foreign male DNA found on the child's clothing has historically been used to clear the Ramsey family, but has yet to identify a perpetrator.
With Woods admitting to deleting or manipulating DNA testing in her cases, the reliability of DNA testing historically handled in the Ramsey file has faced intense scrutiny.
The family has long requested that the FBI or an independent laboratory test the surviving samples.
What Did Yvonne 'Missy' Woods Do?
JonBenét Ramsey's father has questions about the CBI's investigation.
An internal review revealed that Woods manipulated, omitted, or deleted DNA data to speed up testing in at least 1,045 cases.
Woods is scheduled for sentencing on September 8, 2026.
Police agencies across Colorado are continuing to review evidence and apply evolving forensic technology to affected cases.
- JonBenét Ramsey’s Dad Raises 'Concerns' in Daughter’s Unsolved Murder Investigation 30 Years After Her Slaying
- JonBenét Ramsey's Father 'Begs' Police to Use 'Cutting-Edge' DNA Technology to Test Murder Weapon: 'Just Do Your Job'
- 'We Can't Rule This Person Out': New Breakthrough Made In JonBenét Ramsey Case
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Unidentified male DNA was found on the 6-year-old's clothes.
John Ramsey stated his family was initially concerned when her misconduct first came to light. However, he noted their primary fears were eased after learning that the critical DNA evidence used to clear his family was processed by an outside laboratory, not the CBI.
In an exclusive interview with NewsNation following her guilty plea, John raised lingering questions about how the CBI handled the overall crime scene.
He questioned why the CBI selectively chose not to sample multiple pieces of evidence from the crime scene, stating, "We did know that a number of items from the crime scene were sent in for testing, and a number were not tested... We always kind of wondered why.”
John Ramsey Wants More Testing Done
John Ramsey has advocated for nearly a year for investigators to 'use forensic genetic genealogy.'
John speculated whether investigators prematurely halted further testing because they had already discovered the unidentified male DNA on JonBenét's clothing, or if it was simply a budget issue.
Because of past institutional failures, he reiterated his push to hand the case over entirely to advanced, independent labs that utilize Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG).
“We’ve advocated for a year almost that we use forensic genetic genealogy, FGG, which is kind of the latest tool that’s out there. You have to go to an outside lab, but it’s got to be one that knows how to do it,” he said.
