Colorado Dentist Is Accused In Wife’s Poisoning Death

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, a Colorado dentist is accused of fatally poisoning his wife by putting arsenic in her protein shakes after ordering it online and conducting several suspicious internet searches, including “how to make poison,” in the weeks leading up to her death.

James Toliver Craig, 45, was arrested Sunday and preliminarily charged with first-degree murder after his wife, Angela Craig, 43, died after being hospitalized for severe headaches and dizziness, the Aurora Police Department announced.

According to the affidavit, James Craig “has demonstrated the planning and intent to end his wife’s life by searching for ways to kill someone undetected, providing her with poisons that align with her hospitalized symptoms, and working on starting a new life” with another woman.

According to the affidavit, Angela Craig died Wednesday after reporting to the hospital for the third time this month. After she arrived, she had a severe seizure, was placed on a ventilator, and was declared medically brain dead soon after, it said.

According to the affidavit, James Craig used a computer at his dental practice to research multiple “undetectable poisons” and conduct internet searches such as “how many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human” and “how to make poison” and “Top 5 Undetectable Poisons That Show No Signs of Foul Play” in the weeks leading up to her death.

The affidavit says the husband also used a new email account to order arsenic online.

Angela Craig went to the hospital on March 6, two days after the arsenic package was delivered to the Craigs’ house, and reported that she was dizzy, couldn’t focus her eyes, and felt her body was responding slowly, according to the affidavit, which notes that the conditions are consistent with some symptoms of arsenic poisoning.

According to screenshots of text messages between the pair, Angela texted James Craig that day, “I feel drugged.”

“Given our history, I know that must be triggering,” the husband responded. Just so you know, I did not drug you. But I’m very concerned. You were pale before I left. “Like in your lips.”

According to the affidavit, Angela Craig’s sister told investigators that the couple’s marriage was tumultuous and that Angela had previously drugged her because James Craig was planning to commit suicide and didn’t want his wife to be able to stop him.

Also, on March 6, James Craig ordered oleandrin, a toxic plant extract, but the shipment was “intercepted by FedEx” at the request of investigators and never delivered, according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, James Craig ordered the highly lethal chemical potassium cyanide delivered to his dental practice while his wife was hospitalized again from March 9 to March 14.

While Angela Craig was in the hospital for the final time on Wednesday, one of her husband’s business partners told a nurse about James Craig’s delivery of potassium cyanide at their medical practice, noting that the chemical was unnecessary to have in the office, according to the affidavit. The nurse then informed the police, which triggered the investigation into Angela Craig’s death.

According to the affidavit, the husband told the Department of Human Services that his wife was suicidal and “had told fellow employees that his marriage was failing, and he was in financial turmoil.” According to the document, none of the people interviewed by investigators suggested Angela Craig had suicidal thoughts.

After Angela Craig’s death, her sister told investigators that James Craig told her he did not want an autopsy to take place.

“James said he felt if they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her when she was alive, he wouldn’t let them poke her more when she was dead,” reads the affidavit.

James Craig had his first court appearance Monday and the charges are expected to be formally filed Thursday, according to Colorado Judicial Branch Court Executive Shaun Clark. He is being held without bond and is not allowed to have contact with his six children, CNN affiliate KUSA reported.