Melanie Woodrow
I have a passion for digging into stories and following them all the way through, sometimes for years. While at ABC7, I've covered the kidnapping of Denise Huskins that Vallejo police mistakenly called a hoax. I broke several stories around the case including the lead detective being named Officer of the Year. In Vallejo, I also extensively covered the police shooting of Sean Monterrosa by an officer who fired from the backseat through the windshield of an unmarked police vehicle. I exposed that the Vallejo Police Department waited 38.5 hours to announce Monterrosa's death, even though he was pronounced dead one hour after the shooting.
More recently, I've investigated the Fire Victim Trust, which was created to pay PG&E victims of the 2015 Butte Fire, 2017 North Bay Wildfires and deadliest 2018 Camp Fire. At the time the report aired, the Trust had spent more than $51 million, including hefty salaries for those in charge of the Trust while only 334 fire victims, less than half of 1% of fire victims had received a 30% partial payment of their total claim.
Prior to joining ABC7 News, I worked as an investigative reporter for KTVU. I moved to the Bay Area from Los Angeles where I was an investigative reporter and producer for the nationally syndicated daytime medical talk show "The Doctors." I've also worked at CBS Newspath in Los Angeles. Before making the move west, I was a reporter/weekend anchor at Wavy News 10 in Norfolk, Virginia and a morning anchor/reporter at WHAG in Hagerstown, MD. I got my start in the business as a production assistant at MSNBC. Previously I worked at an investment bank in NYC. Sept. 11, 2001 was my first day of work at the bank. Shortly thereafter I realized I wanted to be a reporter and after finishing a 2-year analyst program at the bank I made the career switch. I graduated from Cornell University where I was Valedictorian of Cornell's College of Human Ecology.
When I'm not reporting, you can usually find me practicing or teaching yoga. I'm thrilled to be a member of the ABC7 News I-Team. My best story tips come from you! You can reach me on Facebook, Twitter or over email at melanie.woodrow@abc.com.
Melanie's Stories
California DMV gets trans man's gender wrong 3 times on ID
An Oakland man says it took him approximately five years, multiple tries and help from 7 On Your Side to get the correct ID from the DMV after changing his gender.
Bay Area residents scammed by site impersonating Box Appliance repair company
Bay Area's Box Appliance repair company says someone is impersonating them, swindling their customers out of thousands of dollars and not actually fixing anything.
North Bay woman out $300,000 after being wooed by man on popular dating app
The 57-year-old thought she was doing all the right things, even asking to see the online lover's identification but despite her efforts, she still got scammed. Here's the expensive lesson she learned:
Bay Area urgent care patients billed up to $900 each after receiving free COVID tests
The owner of AFC Urgent Care in Newark says the company filed for bankruptcy after more than $30 million in unpaid claims were denied. More than four years after the COVID tests were given, the company started billing patients and threatening to take them to small claims court if they didn't pay.
Chase Bank refused East Bay woman refund for fraudulent transactions. Then 7 On Your Side stepped in
It was a local Chase branch that alerted the East Bay woman when $1,500 was fraudulently withdrawn from her account, but then corporate denied her request for reimbursement. That is until 7 On Your Side got involved.
Bay Area victim duped by AI-generated Trump gold investment scam: Here's what to know
The cost for one of the Trump golden eagles is $59 and the trade-in value supposedly more than $100,000. One Pittsburg man thought he'd be a millionaire. Turns out, the golden eagle is worth less than it's weight.
Another East Bay woman falls victim to 'grandson scam,' loses $12,500
For the second time in four months, a senior at Rossmoor in Walnut Creek was targeted in the "grandson" scam. A caller pretending to be the victim's grandson said he's in jail and needs bail money, taking a total of $12,500 from the victim.
Convicted Vallejo kidnapper Matthew Muller allegedly began crime spree in 1993 at 16 years old
Convicted Vallejo kidnapper Matthew Muller is facing more new charges and investigators now say Muller may have begun his crime spree all the way back in 1993.
Man convicted in 2015 Vallejo kidnapping case charged in 2009 home invasion attacks in South Bay
Matthew, Muller, the man convicted of kidnapping and sexually assaulting Denise Huskins in Vallejo in 2015, has now been charged with home invasion sexual assault in the South Bay in a case dating back to 2009.
East Bay charity nonprofit to continue helping community beyond holidays thanks to growing support
What started as a collective in the East Bay to gather toys, clothing and home goods for those in need during Christmas, is growing into what could be a year-round effort.