A highly publicized murder trial is scheduled to commence on Monday in Colorado, where prosecutors allege that a local dentist poisoned his wife’s protein shakes with cyanide, all while maintaining a secret affair and planning a new life without her. James Toliver Craig, 47, is facing charges of first-degree murder following the death of his wife, Angela Craig, in March 2023. The trial is expected to span approximately three weeks.
According to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Angela began exhibiting mysterious symptoms, such as dizziness, vomiting, and severe headaches in March 2023. Her condition deteriorated rapidly between March 6-16, with symptoms including blurred vision, feeling drugged, seizures, and a steep decline in health. After multiple hospitalizations, Angela slipped into a coma and was declared brain-dead on August 18, 2023, with the official cause of death determined as acute poisoning by cyanide and tetrahydrozoline.
Subsequent to Angela’s suspicious hospitalization on August 15, authorities began investigating James’ potential involvement in her declining health. Colleague Ryan Redfearn raised concerns over a chemical delivery he believed James had used to poison his wife. Allegations emerged that James had ordered potassium cyanide, a substance not typically used in dentistry. Hospital staff, mandated reporters, alerted the Aurora Police Department’s Major Crimes Homicide Unit.
Court documents unveiled a digital trail left by James, revealing his activities on a secret email account where he searched for untraceable poisons and purchased arsenic and cyanide. Authorities also claimed that he watched instructional videos on committing untraceable murders. Further complicating matters, James was found to have been involved in an affair with Karin Cain, a Texas orthodontist. Emails exchanged between them, seized through search warrants, indicated intimate conversations and planned trips.
As Angela’s health deteriorated, the content of the emails and the planned trips suggest a deliberate attempt to conceal the affair. Karin expressed sympathy for James’ situation but also hinted at wanting a more involved relationship. Investigators described the emails as intimate and sexually explicit in nature, coinciding with Angela’s illness in the hospital.
James Craig has been formally charged in connection with the case.
James Toliver Craig stands accused of first-degree murder for allegedly poisoning his wife. Prosecutors claim that James sought to end his marriage with Angela, with whom he had six children, in order to start a new life with another woman named Cain. The couple’s relationship was strained, with Angela expressing her desire to leave James multiple times over the years. Despite financial troubles and marital issues, James reportedly resorted to extreme measures, including drugging his wife in the past and attempting to manipulate evidence in her death investigation. James faces a slew of charges, including solicitation to commit murder and tampering with evidence. His trial has faced delays due to legal complications, but is now set to commence with jury selection on July 14.
