Colorado Dentist Used Rush-Order Cyanide To Poison Wife While Planning New Life With Other Woman, Police Say

Investigators say a Colorado dentist intent on killing his wife put poison in her protein shakes before finally succeeding with a rush order dose of potassium cyanide powder he said he needed to perform surgery. As Angela Craig languished in the hospital with doctors unable to figure out what was wrong with her, police also allege James Craig was meeting with a woman he planned to start a new life with, according to court documents.

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

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Craig is scheduled to appear in court Thursday to learn whether prosecutors have decided to file charges against him. 

Police in the Denver suburb of Aurora began investigating Craig after the partner in his dental practice and friend, Ryan Redfearn, told a nurse that Craig had ordered potassium cyanide even though they did not need it for their work, according to an arrest warrant laying out evidence gathered by investigators. Craig had asked an office manager not to open the package but another employee did, leading to its discovery and eventual disclosure to authorities, the document said.

James Craig Photo: Aurora Police Department

Investigators believe Craig put arsenic in one of the protein shakes he routinely made for his wife for their workouts on March 6 and then gave her one with potassium cyanide before she had to go back to the hospital again. The delivery of a third substance he is accused of ordering, Oleandrin, was intercepted by authorities after they began investigating him.

According to the arrest affidavit, Craig told Redfearn that he ordered the potassium cyanide for his wife and told a social worker that she had been suicidal and depressed since he asked for a divorce in December even though neither of the couple’s children said anything about suicide attempts.

Redfearn also told investigators that Craig was on the verge of bankruptcy and had been having problems in his marriage. Angela Craig’s sister, Toni Kofoed, told police that Craig had drugged his wife about five years ago with an unknown drug because he said he planned to kill himself and did not want her to be able to save him.

Kofoed believes that incident is what Craig referenced in a series of texts between Angela and James Craig about her symptoms after she first fell ill on March 6. James Craig wrote: “Given our history I know that must be triggering. Just for the record, I didn’t drug you. I am super worried though.”