Dentist accused of killing wife by poisoning her shakes charged with trying to have detective killed

DENVER (AP) — A dentist accused of killing his wife by poisoning her protein shakes has been charged with trying to get a fellow jail inmate to kill a detective investigating the murder case.

Prosecutors filed two new charges against James Craig last week — solicitation to commit murder as well as solicitation to commit perjury. The charging document does not say who Craig allegedly wanted to have killed but a spokesperson for Aurora police, Joe Moylan, confirmed late Wednesday that the alleged intended victim was an Aurora police detective.

Online court records did not list a lawyer representing Craig as of Thursday. A judge allowed Craig’s latest lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, to withdraw from the case Nov. 21, after he cited a professional conflict, just as Craig was about to stand trial for first-degree murder in the death of Angela Craig. Prosecutors filed the two new charges against Craig the following day.

Craig’s trial has been delayed indefinitely. Craig, who has pleaded not guilty, is scheduled to appear in court with a new lawyer on Dec. 16.

Angela Craig, 43, died in March 2023 of poisoning from cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, the latter a substance found in over-the-counter eye drops, according to the coroner. The couple had been married for 23 years and had six children together.

Craig was also previously charged with smuggling a letter out of jail with an inmate bonded out by an adult daughter. It asked her to make a fake video of Angela Craig asking Craig to get poisons for her, according to prosecutors.

He is also accused of asking another inmate to plant forged journal entries at the Craig home suggesting that Angela Craig killed herself. The inmate declined, according to court documents. Craig’s original defense team pointed out that the inmate only contacted authorities after an initial hearing to review the evidence in the case, which was widely covered by the media.

Prosecutors also allege Craig tried a more elaborate and convoluted approach to put the blame on his wife. In court documents, they said he asked another former fellow inmate to find attractive women who would agree to testify at his trial that they had affairs with him and, after Angela Craig found out, they had refused to help her frame him.

By COLLEEN SLEVIN
Associated Press