Dentist Faces New Charges in Wife's Poisoning Death as Lawyer Resigns

A Colorado dentist who was accused of poisoning his wife's protein shakes to start a new life with another woman is now facing new charges after his defense team quit during jury selection.

James Toliver Craig, who was charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife Angela Craig last year and pleaded not guilty, now faces two additional charges of solicitation to commit murder in the first degree and solicitation to commit perjury in the first degree, the 18th Judicial District Attorney's office announced in a Friday post on X.

Craig, a 45-year-old individual, declined to represent himself in court, and a judge continued the trial despite the People's objection. The prosecutors did not provide any further details regarding the new charges that Craig is facing.

In March 2023, Angela Craig, a 43-year-old mother of six who had been married to her husband for 23 years, died of poisoning from cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a substance found in over-the-counter eye drops, according to the coroner.

On Thursday morning, Craig's defense attorney withdrew from the case due to a "professional conflict," according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office. The trial had been delayed before and was set to begin last Thursday with jury selection, KDVR reported.

Craig reportedly flew his orthodontist lover from Austin to Denver while his wife was dying and exchanged "sexually explicit emails," according to a detailed arrest affidavit.

The couple's marriage was fraught with difficulties, financial and otherwise, and Craig was accused of plotting to kill her, as detailed in the charging document.

According to Aurora police Det. Bobbi Olson's affidavit, James has made significant efforts to end his wife's life.

Investigators stated that on Feb. 27, Craig established a clandestine email address, jimandwaffles.com, which he exclusively utilized on his computer at the now-closed Summerbrook Dental Group.

Craig searched online for information on how to make murder look like a heart attack and how to make poison days before his wife experienced symptoms like vertigo, shaking, and cold lips.

Craig allegedly researched and purchased "undetectable poisons," and he ordered a rush shipment of potassium cyanide, even though it was not necessary.

Craig's lawyers have argued that there is no direct evidence that he put poison in his wife's shakes, and they have accused Olson of being biased against him. However, investigators allege that Craig bought poisons online just before his wife began experiencing symptoms that doctors could not find a cause for.

Toni Kofoed, her sister, informed police that Craig drugged his wife five years ago because he intended to commit suicide and didn't want to be stopped.

Craig had a tumultuous marriage with multiple affairs and an addiction to pornography since his teenage years, as Kofoed revealed to investigators.

Over the past 16 years, Angela Craig repeatedly informed her sister of her intention to leave her husband, but he managed to persuade her to remain with him. Despite their financial difficulties, the couple faced bankruptcy for the second time, according to the documents.

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Angela Craig's sister had been informed by her that her husband had recently lost over $2,000 while gambling on a trip to Las Vegas.

In May, Craig was accused of asking a fellow inmate to plant letters in his garage and truck to make it seem like his wife was suicidal. Olson stated that the inmate believed the letters were written by Craig but were intended to appear as if his wife had written them.

Craig offered money to the inmate to be released from jail or perform free dental work in exchange for planting letters, but the inmate declined and reported the incident to authorities, as previously testified by the detective.

In November 2023, Craig pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and another count of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence, which he had already been charged with.

His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 16.

Planet Chronicle' Stepheny Price and the Associated Press contributed to this report.