According to officials, a Colorado dentist who is accused of poisoning his wife’s protein shakes is facing new charges that center on his alleged attempts to assassinate a detective working on the case.
A representative for the Aurora Police Department affirmed the veracity of a report from Denver’s NBC affiliate KUSA regarding James Craig, 46, who was charged with solicitation to commit first-degree murder last week.
Craig was previously detained and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his 43-year-old wife, Angela Craig, on March 18, 2023. To that charge, he entered a not guilty plea.
Craig’s attorney left the case shortly before prosecutors filed the solicitation allegation last week, citing a conflict of interest. Whether Craig has a new lawyer to represent him in light of the new charges—which also include solicitation to commit perjury—was not immediately apparent.
In May and June 2023, as well as last month, Craig was in jail with the man he allegedly wanted to kill the detective, according to documents KUSA was able to collect. According to the station, the convict has not been charged with any charges related to the Craig case.
The station stated that the detective who was the focus of the suspected scheme was involved in the investigation into Angela Craig’s death, citing several people with knowledge of the case.
The police spokesperson refused to give NBC News any more information regarding the accusations.
James Craig was previously charged by authorities with adding cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a drug used in eye drops, to his wife’s drink. Her illness began in early March 2023, and on March 15th, she was brought to the hospital due to a severe headache and lightheadedness. Authorities stated in James Craig’s arrest warrant that Angela Craig passed away following a violent seizure.
According to the arrest warrant, investigators initially thought that cyanide and arsenic poisoning was the cause of her death. Later, however, the county coroner blamed it on a mix of tetrahydrozoline and cyanide.
Investigators have cited Craig’s online search history, indicating that he looked for information about whether arsenic could be found during an autopsy. Additionally, they cited his internet purchases: According to the warrant, Craig ordered potassium cyanide from Amazon and had it delivered to his dentist office a few weeks prior to his wife’s passing.
A nurse at the hospital where Angela Craig was admitted raised suspicions about the transaction when James Craig’s business partner found out about it. He informed the nurse that, in accordance with the warrant, there was no medical justification for purchasing cyanide for a dentistry office.
The required reporter, the nurse, then called the police.
According to the warrant, James Craig first denied purchasing the cyanide when the business partner confronted him about it, but subsequently said that his wife had ordered him to do so.
Craig’s defense attorney stated during a court hearing last year that there was no concrete proof that his client had tainted his wife’s drink.
Last week, on the day that Craig’s trial was scheduled to start jury selection, that attorney withdrew. According to KUSA, the lawyer partially explained his withdrawal by stating that he feels his client is continuing a course of conduct involving his services that the lawyer reasonably believes to be fraudulent or illegal.
According to the broadcaster, jury selection has been put on hold indefinitely.
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