Colorado dentist arrested for poisoning his wife to death in ‘sophisticated and calculated’ plot

A dentist arrested in the murder of his wife and the mother of his six children allegedly looked for toxins that could not be detected in an autopsy before linking his wife’s protein with arsenic and cyanide to start a new life with his lover.

James Tolliver Craig, 45, of Aurora, Colorado, used a shared computer at his workplace to run several online searches about poisons before his wife, Angela, 43, died in hospital this week, according to his arrest warrant.

Searches on YouTube and Google included: “How many grams of pure arsenic would kill a human”. “Is arsenic detectable at autopsy.” “Top 5 Undetectable Poisons That Show No Signs Of Foolish Play,” “How To Make A Poison,” and “The 10 Deadliest Plants (That Can Kill You).”

Craig was simultaneously exchanging “intimate” and “sexually explicit” emails with an orthodontist from Austin, Texas and the woman flying in to see him while his wife was fighting for her life in the hospital before doctors turned off her life support.

The affidavit said Craig planned to: ‘End his wife’s life by looking for ways to kill someone undetected, supplying her with poisons that matched the symptoms of her hospitalization, and working to start a new life with her. [his lover]”.

The dentist allegedly ordered the arsenic over the Internet on February 27 and received a package at home on March 4, said police, who arrested him on suspicion of first-degree murder.

Angela soon began experiencing symptoms of dizziness and headaches and visited the hospital several times before being admitted for the last time on Wednesday, March 15, but doctors could not determine the cause of her illness and her family members believed it to be a sinus infection.

Craig reportedly told an office manager on March 6 that he was expecting a package and would not open it, according to the affidavit.

He allegedly gave Angela “extra protein” that morning before a workout “because she was feeling lethargic” but then drove her to the hospital.

“After the exercise, Angela became faint and dizzy, and eventually James took Angela to the hospital,” the affidavit said.

Angela returned to hospital on March 9 and was released again on March 14 as the cause of her symptoms was shrouded in mystery.

Craig’s second package arrived at work on March 13 and when a female employee opened the box, she found a biohazard label and a canister marked “potassium cyanide”.

I googled the chemical compound and realized that the symptoms of cyanide poisoning were similar to those Angela was experiencing.

When the employee learns that Angela has been readmitted to hospital on March 15, she tells Craig’s business partner about her shocking discovery, then tells a visiting nurse to check on her.

The nurse called the police and her death was investigated by Major Crimes Homicide Unit detectives who determined she was poisoned.

“As an obligatory reporter, the nurse called the police, and an investigation ensued,” the affidavit read.

Angela’s condition rapidly deteriorated as she began having seizures and at 2pm on March 16 she was placed on a ventilator in the intensive care unit.

Craig told investigators his wife had been knowingly overdosing on opioids since she filed for divorce in December 2022.

Police raided his home and business, confiscating protein powders, shakes, a tablet computer, phones, and a Ziploc bag of powder items.

Analysis of his hardware data revealed his horrific online searches, including a $13 Amazon order for “Arsenic Metal 99.9999% Crystalline Metalloid 10 gram Element Set.”

When police combed his email account jimandwaffles@gmail.com, they found additional purchases of poison, according to the affidavit.

There was a request March 9 from Midland Scientific for Sigma 207810-25G which is the technical term for potassium cyanide.

Emails between Craig and the Midland Scientific Officer who requested additional information on the application show that the dentist claims to be a surgeon who was performing a craniofacial reconstruction.

Craig also tried to buy $330 worth of 3 Oleandrin 1mg from AdooQ Bio Science but the cops intercepted the order.

Angela was pronounced dead at 4.29pm on 18 March after doctors took the decision to switch her life support off.

Craig flew the woman with whom he exchanged sexually explicit messages from Texas to Colorado while Angela is on life support.

“It appears that James was transporting this woman to Denver while his wife and the mother of his children lay dying in the hospital,” police said.

Craig had told the poison seller that he was a surgeon and intended to use potassium cyanide for a medical procedure.

He proceeded to give the seller his dental license number and business email to request the poison.

A person close to Angela Craig’s family told The Daily Beast that she was “an exceptional woman, an outgoing person, and the best mom you could imagine.”

“She was very supportive of her husband, even working in his clinic during financial difficulties.”

Craig and his clinic, Summerbrook Dental, filed for bankruptcy protection in 2021, according to court records.

The couple had been married for more than 20 years and had six children – five girls and a boy – ranging in age from 8 to 20.

“One of her brothers who lives in Salt Lake came out to be with her,” said the person who spoke to the monster.

There was, until her hospitalization, no reason to suspect foul play.

But after Angela is hospitalized, James seems to have made himself scarce.

“He hasn’t been around the family much in the past few days,” said the source, which “led to some suspicions.”

In a 2021 press release, Craig described himself as “happily married” to Angela.

The release went on to say that the couple “have six children, all of whom enjoy the outdoors, especially camping, snowboarding, fishing, hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking.”

They also enjoy visiting theme parks and often travel to Disney, Universal and SeaWorld.

He also noted that James Craig volunteered with WE CAN HELP, an anti-bullying program sponsored by the Denver Police Department.

Poisoning is a rare method of killing. according to studiessepsis accounts for less than 0.5 percent of cases.