Colorado dentist James Craig, 47, has begun serving a life sentence without parole after being convicted of first-degree murder for poisoning his wife’s protein shakes. A jury deliberated for two days before finding him guilty of the March 2023 killing of Angela Craig, 43, as well as solicitation to commit murder for attempting to hire an inmate to kill a detective involved in the case.
Angela died after suffering a seizure, and an autopsy revealed lethal doses of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a chemical commonly found in eye drops, in her system.
“Dr. Craig unleashed a path of destruction as wide as a tornado and just as devastating,” said Arapahoe County District Judge Shay Whitaker during sentencing. “Damage to his children, damage to Angela’s family, damage to his own family. None of the individuals who are here in the courtroom before the court today will ever be the same.”
The Evidence Against Craig
Investigators discovered Craig’s suspicious internet searches, including questions about whether arsenic could be detected in an autopsy. Weeks before Angela’s death, he also ordered potassium cyanide to his dental office.
Prosecutors argued that Craig’s motive stemmed from years of infidelity and his desire to avoid financial and reputational fallout from a divorce. “Twenty-some years of him cheating on Angela Craig — he broke her,” defense attorney Lisa Fine Moses said, suggesting Angela may have taken her own life.
But prosecutor Michael Mauro countered that Craig wanted to collect Angela’s income and maintain his public image. He told jurors that Angela’s daily protein shakes were the murder weapon, though the defense claimed there was no proof she had consumed them involuntarily.
Sentencing
Judge Whitaker sentenced Craig to life in prison without parole plus 33 additional years on other charges.
The ruling closes a case that prosecutors described as a calculated, cold-blooded act that left lasting devastation on the couple’s six children and both families.
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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