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
Bob Lee murder trial: Jury begins deliberations in stabbing death of Cash App founder
12 jurors must unanimously find Momeni guilty or not guilty of 1st-degree murder before they can potentially consider a lesser charge of 2nd-degree murder.
Murder trial of tech consultant in stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee to go to jurors
Closing arguments in the high-profile murder trial of a tech consultant charged in the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee concluded Tuesday.
Prosecution makes closing arguments in Cash App founder Bob Lee's murder trial
Prosecutors made their closing arguments, beginning by playing Bob Lee's 911 call for jurors in which he repeatedly pleaded for help.
7 On Your Side report on $50K crypto scam catches CA officials' attention
The crypto scam happened nearly a year after Gov. Newsom signed legislation into law limiting the amount any one customer can accept or give out at a crypto kiosk. Now, there are questions about how or if the the scammers circumvented that law.
Defendant Nima Momeni spars with prosecutor over details leading up to Bob Lee's death
Several times during testimony on Thursday, Momeni sparred with Prosecutor Talai, at times asking him questions or saying things such as, I'm sorry if my answer doesn't satisfy your expectations.
Bob Lee murder trial: Defendant Nima Momeni testifies that he acted in self-defense
Momeni testified that he was defending himself from the CashApp founder who attacked him with a knife for making a bad joke. "I just wanted to control the hands, I was afraid for my life, I didn't know know what he was going to do," Momeni said.
Khazar Momeni 'has no right to make herself a victim,' Bob Lee's ex-wife says
The Cash App founder's ex-wife has strong words for Khazar Momeni, the sister of the accused killer, after Momeni testified that she had been threatened by the Lee family through text following the murder of Bob Lee. "Our family was the one that got murdered. She can go f**k herself," Krista Lee said.
Accused killer's sister describes Bob Lee as 'aggressive,' high on drugs during cross-examination
During cross-examination Tuesday, Khazar Momeni testified that Bob Lee was using cocaine and ketamine in the days prior to his murder, and was "all over the place" and "aggressive."
Bob Lee murder trial: Sister of accused killer details heavy drug use, alleged sex assault
Khazar Momeni's testimony focused on the days leading up to Bob Lee's death, where she claims the Cash App founder introduced her to Jeremy Boivin, the "drug dealer" who she says sexually assaulted her.
Thousands participate in the San Francisco Walk to End Alzheimer's
More than 2,000 people participated in the San Francisco Walk to End Alzheimer's at Pier 27 in San Francisco on Saturday including members of the ABC7 family.