A Colorado dentist is standing trial for murdering his wife by poisoning her protein shakes.
James Craig, 47, fatally poisoned his wife of 23 years, Angela Craig, with whom he shared six children, over several days in 2023.
His wife had gone to the hospital multiple times in 10 days after experiencing headaches and dizziness. Her condition eventually deteriorated and she was declared brain dead.
Subsequent tests showed that she had been poisoned with tetrahydrozoline and cyanide.
Investigators believe James purchased the poisons online as a deliberate plan to kill his wife. He was allegedly facing financial problems and was having an affair, as per text messages and witness interviews.
Detective Bobbi Olson detailed in a 52-page affidavit that James had intentionally searched for ways to kill his wife without getting caught and had already begun building a new life with another woman.
Assistant District Attorney Ryan Brackley said the Texas orthodontist may have been after his wife’s life insurance payout. He is believed to have given his wife the final dose of poison while she was in the hospital.
Craig has pleaded not guilty to six charges, including first-degree murder.
If convicted, he may face life behind bars without the possibility of parole.
How the Murder Unfolded
According to the affidavit, Angela had returned home on March 5, 2023, after visiting her sister in Utah.
The next morning, Angela drank a protein shake with extra protein that James had made for her.
Following her workout, however, she began to feel dizzy and faint. James subsequently took her to the hospital.
She was eventually discharged, but went back to the hospital on March 9 after doctors were unable to pinpoint the cause of her symptoms.
She was admitted to the hospital again on March 15 with a headache and dizziness.
Not long afterwards, she suffered a seizure. Her health continued to decline rapidly and she was eventually put on life support in the ICU.
On March 18, she was pronounced brain dead.
Many screenshots of texts were included in the affidavit, all of which were between James and Angela. They talked about her symptoms, their kids, and his visits.
In one of the texts, Angela also wrote that she felt like she had been drugged.
However, James responded that he did not drug her.
Based on an interview with Angela’s sister, however, he had done so once in the past.
Her sister told detectives that he had drugged Angela six years ago when he planned on committing suicide at home and didn’t want her to stop him.
She described their marriage as “tumultuous” and stated that James had a pornography addiction and that he had “several affairs with multiple women.”
