Dental practitioner in Colorado faces trial for allegedly murdering spouse through tainted smoothies
In a shocking turn of events, James Craig, a Colorado dentist, stands trial for the alleged murder of his wife Angela, his partner for 23 years and mother of his six children. The trial began following Angela's death in March 2023, after multiple hospital visits due to unexplained symptoms like dizziness and headaches.
Prosecutors allege that Craig poisoned Angela's protein shakes with cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, an ingredient found in over-the-counter eye drops. The poisoning led to her death during her third hospital visit that month. Initial attempts to make it appear as if Angela had killed herself were foiled, as captured on home surveillance footage, where Craig is alleged to have suggested to medical staff that she was suicidal.
Craig's alleged motives include financial troubles and personal affairs, with prosecutors noting his multiple affairs and financial straits. He is also accused of searching online for ways to make a murder look like a heart attack.
The case took a sinister turn when Craig was accused of attempting to sabotage the investigation. He allegedly tried to pay someone to kill the lead investigator on his case. Craig's office manager, Caitlin Romero, testified that a personal package addressed to Craig was received at their dental office, containing a sealed "foil package" and a paper invoice. The invoice stated that the box contained potassium cyanide, which Romero immediately Googled out of curiosity.
Craig is further charged with solicitation to commit murder and solicitation to commit perjury, in addition to first-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyer, Ashley Whitham, argues that the evidence does not prove that Craig poisoned and killed Angela. Whitham suggests that Angela may have taken her own life.
The 52-page probable cause affidavit accuses Craig of buying various poisons online and feeling financial pressure due to troubles and an affair with a Texas orthodontist. Craig had allegedly given his wife a final dose of poison after she had already been admitted to the hospital. Angela was hospitalized for several days in March 2023, and her symptoms included dizziness, vomiting, and fainting.
The trial continues, with Craig's fate hanging in the balance. The community awaits the verdict, shocked by the allegations against a respected local dentist.
- The disturbing series of events surrounding James Craig's trial have delved into areas of general news, medical-conditions, and crime-and-justice, as the case involves allegations of poisoning using cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a substance found in over-the-counter eye drops.
- Beyond the first-degree murder charge, Craig also faces solicitation to commit murder and solicitation to commit perjury, highlighting a chilling extension of the case into health-and-wellness, involving an office manager who testified about a suspicious package containing potassium cyanide, and Craig's alleged online research on how to make a murder appear as a heart attack.
