Woodard, Ylitha L

Tenure Summary

Ylitha L. Woodard's documented GDC career began in financial operations. Records list her as a Financial Operations Generalist at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison in 2013, then in Financial Operations Generalist 2 and 3 posts across 2015–2023, with a Financial Ops Generalist 3 assignment listed at Metro Reentry Facility on November 22, 2023, and an Accounting Technician 3 post from January 1 to November 15, 2024. On November 16, 2024 she moved into facility administration as Deputy Warden of Administration at Rutledge State Prison; 2025 records list her as Deputy Warden there, and later records list a Deputy Warden of Administration posting at Rutledge beginning July 16, 2026 alongside a Deputy Warden listing dated August 27, 2026. Her status is listed as active.

Six deaths are attributed to her leadership tenure, all six at Rutledge State Prison. Two of the six are recorded as a homicide and a natural/medical death; the other four are listed by GPS's registry as unknown/pending. No lawsuits naming Woodard as a defendant appear in the records.

What happened on their watch

Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison — Financial Operations Generalist (2013); Financial Operations Generalist 2 (2016–2017). Staff roles in financial operations.

Metro Reentry Facility — Financial Ops Generalist 3 (November 22, 2023); Accounting Technician 3 (January 1 – November 15, 2024). Staff roles in financial and accounting operations.

Rutledge State Prison — Deputy Warden of Administration from November 16, 2024; Deputy Warden per 2025 records; Deputy Warden of Administration per a July 16, 2026 record. Six deaths are attributed to her tenure at this facility. Per GPS's death registry:

• Joe Payne died December 29, 2024, at Rutledge State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 73.
• William Edward Houston died April 10, 2025, at Rutledge State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 75.
• Alan Thomas Bryant died June 1, 2025, at Rutledge State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Natural/Medical. He was 46.
• Brandon Keith Bolden died June 15, 2025, at Rutledge State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Homicide. He was 37.
• Jonathan Lloyd Myers died May 3, 2026, at Rutledge State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 38.
• Alterek Mance Dockery died June 14, 2026, at Rutledge State Prison; the registry lists the cause as Unknown/Pending. He was 49.

Two intel items dated to her tenure concern alleged conditions and alleged staff misconduct at Rutledge. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a lawsuit filed January 21, 2025 alleges that Curtis Mincey's sister said he suffered from a mental illness but did not receive appropriate medical or psychological assistance; the suit was filed while Woodard held the Deputy Warden role at Rutledge. Separately, the AJC reported an allegation that Sergeant Erika Shonquandria Hall admitted to providing prisoners with cellphones, chargers, tobacco and food in exchange for money on at least six occasions, also dated January 21, 2025, at Rutledge.

Two later inmate reports, both logged while Woodard held the Deputy Warden of Administration role, describe facility-wide disruptions. A Telegram group report dated October 1, 2026 indicates that Rutledge State Prison reported a suicide involving an incarcerated person with mental health needs, that the facility was locked down, and that a coroner and investigators were present. An anonymous report dated September 17, 2026 indicated the facility had been taken off lockdown. Both are unverified submissions and are presented as allegations, not findings.

Sources

• GPS death registry — cause and date records for Joe Payne, William Edward Houston, Alan Thomas Bryant, Brandon Keith Bolden, Jonathan Lloyd Myers, and Alterek Mance Dockery at Rutledge State Prison
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution — report on the lawsuit alleging Curtis Mincey did not receive appropriate medical or psychological assistance (January 21, 2025)
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution — report on the contraband allegation involving Sergeant Erika Shonquandria Hall at Rutledge State Prison (January 21, 2025)
• GPS case submissions — Telegram group report of a suicide and lockdown at Rutledge State Prison (October 1, 2026); anonymous report that the facility was taken off lockdown (September 17, 2026)
• GDC personnel and salary records — positions and dates listed above

Synthesized by GPS Intelligence System on Oct 18, 2026 from positions, attributed deaths, lawsuits, intel reports, and news mentions in the public corpus. The supporting data tables follow below.