Police say that James Craig killed his wife, Angela, so that he could start a new life with his affair partner.
Summerbrook Dental Group/FacebookAngela and James Craig.
A Colorado dentist is behind bars after he was arrested for allegedly killing his wife by poisoning her protein shakes with cyanide and arsenic. Police took 45-year-old James Craig into custody on March 19, 2023, for the first-degree murder of Angela Craig.
According to court documents, James reportedly laced Angela’s daily pre-workout drinks with the poisons, causing her to fall ill and ultimately die in the hospital.
Per ABC News, police say that James Craig first put arsenic in his wife’s drink on March 6, 2023. Angela texted him saying, “I feel drugged.” He responded, “Just for the record, I didn’t drug you.”
When the arsenic failed to kill her, James instead ordered potassium cyanide to his office at Summerbrook Dental Group in Aurora. He reportedly told the supplier that he needed it for a surgery, and he asked his office manager not to open the box when it came in.
However, another employee inadvertently opened the package. James’ dental practice partner, Ryan Redfearn, claimed that James told him there was a ring in the box. When Redfearn told him that he knew what was actually inside, James Craig changed his story, saying that Angela asked him to order the cyanide for her, per CBS News.
After unknowingly ingesting the cyanide in the shakes James made for her, Angela went to the hospital two more times. Her final visit was on March 15, when she complained of “severe headaches and dizziness.” Her condition deteriorated rapidly from there. She suffered a seizure, doctors declared her brain dead, and she was placed on life support. Angela Craig died on March 18, 2023.
Aurora Police DepartmentJames Craig’s booking photo at the Aurora Police Department.
Division Chief Mark Hildebrand of the Aurora Police Department stated in a news release, “When the suspicious details of this case came to light, our team of officers and homicide detectives tirelessly worked to uncover the truth behind the victim’s sudden illness and death.”
He continued, “It was quickly discovered this was in fact a heinous, complex, and calculated murder.”
James Craig was arrested on March 19, and further investigation reportedly revealed even more evidence against him.
When detectives analyzed James’ internet history, they allegedly found a Google search for “Is arsenic detectable in autopsy?” and a YouTube video titled “Top 5 Undetectable Poisons That Show No Signs of Foul Play.” They also found emails and receipts showing that he’d placed several orders for various poisons.
What’s more, the police discovered a potential motive for the alleged murder: an affair.
Angela’s sister, Toni Kofoed, reportedly told police that James had a history of infidelity. According to CBS News, she stated, “Angela and James’ marriage had always been tumultuous. James had multiple affairs with several women.”
James had supposedly been exchanging “intimate” and “sexually explicit” emails with his latest partner, an orthodontist from Texas, before his wife’s death. He even reportedly flew her to Colorado while Angela was on life support in the hospital.
In addition to his marital problems, James’ friends said he was struggling financially as well. According to Ryan Redfearn, he was in dire economic straits. As reported by 9News, there were three bankruptcy cases connected to James and his dental practice at the time of the alleged murder.
While James remains behind bars as police build their case against him, his and Angela’s six children are left to mourn the loss of both of their parents.
After reading about the man who allegedly poisoned his wife’s protein shakes, go inside the story of Graham Young, the “Teacup Poisoner.” Then, learn about Aqua Tofana, the 17th-century poison elixir that was given to women to kill their abusive husbands.
