The trial of a Colorado dentist accused of murder has been postponed after his defense team unexpectedly withdrew before jury selection.

The murder trial for a Colorado dentist accused of poisoning his wife to death has been postponed after the defense attorney resigned during jury selection.

Angela Craig, 45, was allegedly killed by her husband James Toliver Craig, who is accused of putting poison in her protein shakes.

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.

The trial, originally scheduled to start on Thursday with jury selection, was delayed again due to a "professional conflict" on the part of the defense counsel, who withdrew from the case on Thursday morning, according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office.

The judge granted the withdrawal under the Rule of Professional Conduct, and Craig opted not to represent himself, thereby postponing the case.

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 plagued by financial difficulties and allegations that Craig planned to murder her, as detailed in the charging document.

Aurora police Detective Bobbi Olson wrote in the affidavit that James has gone to great lengths to try and 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 multiple "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.

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 jail 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 Nov. 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' Rebecca Rosenberg and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price is a writer for Planet Chronicle Digital and Fox Business. If you have story tips or ideas, you can send them to [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).