Police: Dentist poisoned wife with cyanide as a matter of urgency

DENVER (AP) — Investigators say a Colorado dentist, intent on killing his wife, slipped poison into her protein shakes before finally succeeding with a dose of potassium cyanide powder he said was needed for the operation. With Angela Craig languishing in the hospital and doctors unable to figure out what was wrong with her, police also allege that James Craig dated the woman he planned to start a new life with, according to court documents.

Craig, 45, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder on Sunday, shortly after his wife died after being taken off life support on her third trip to the hospital this month. According to court records, his interests are represented by the Public Defender’s Office, which does not comment on cases.

Craig is due to appear in court on Thursday to see if prosecutors have decided to press charges against him.

Police say James Toliver Craig, 45, has been arrested on charges of first-degree murder in connection with the death of his wife. (Source: Aurora Police Department via Facebook)

Police in the Denver suburb of Aurora launched an investigation into Craig after his dental practice partner and friend Ryan Redfern told a nurse that Craig had ordered cyanide even though they didn’t need it for their job, according to an arrest warrant outlined by evidence gathered by investigators. The document states that Craig asked the office manager not to open the package, but another employee did, leading to its discovery and eventual disclosure to the authorities.

Investigators believe Craig added arsenic to one of the protein shakes he usually made for her during training on March 6 and then gave her one with cyanide before she had to go back to the hospital again. A shipment of the third substance he is accused of ordering, oleandrin, was intercepted by the authorities after they launched an investigation into him.

According to his arrest testimony, Craig told Redfern that he had ordered cyanide for his wife and told a social worker that she had been suicidal and depressed ever since he asked for a divorce in December, although neither of the couple’s children did not mention suicide attempts. .

Redfern also told investigators that Craig was on the verge of bankruptcy and had marital problems. Angela Craig’s sister, Tony Kofoed, told police that about five years ago, Craig drugged his wife with an unknown drug because, according to him, he planned to commit suicide and did not want her to be able to save him.

Kofoed believes this incident is what Craig was referring to in a series of messages between Angela and James Craig about her symptoms after she first fell ill on March 6. James Craig wrote: “Given our history, I know this must be the trigger. Just for the record, I didn’t give you drugs. Although I’m very worried.”

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