A former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department DNA analyst was charged with misdemeanor obstruction of justice in connection with an investigation by North Carolina's State Bureau of Investigation. Kelly Elizabeth Shea spent years working inside CMPD's crime lab.
Shea was processed on Monday, according to WCNC, which reported that she was released without bond after the SBI filed the charge. The case traces back to Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather, who asked the SBI to investigate a CMPD crime lab analyst after a letter from the lab's director suggested the analyst may have intentionally manipulated the DNA testing process, as reported by WSOC TV in March 2025. According to Queen City News, CMPD says it is fully cooperating with the investigation.
How the Crime Lab Concerns Began
Concerns about CMPD's Biology/DNA section led to an investigation request in March 2024 amid an allegation of DNA-test manipulation.
The case remains a developing story.
What the Charge Actually Covers
Shea is charged with misdemeanor obstruction of justice in connection with allegations involving DNA testing.
Public local government records from January 2020 show Shea representing the crime lab as a Police Crime Lab staff member at a municipal employment forum, according to ELGL records.
CMPD's Crime Lab
CMPD has a crime lab.
The case involves DNA testing and a CMPD crime lab.
Questions remain about how many past convictions or pending trials in Mecklenburg County relied on DNA evidence Shea reviewed, and whether additional defense challenges will follow. Queen City News has described the case as a developing story and says it has reached out to both CMPD and the district attorney's office for further comment.
