An Aurora dentist accused of fatally poisoning his wife is now suspected of plotting to kill an Aurora police detective investigating the case, a police spokesman confirmed Wednesday.
James Craig, 46, is charged with first-degree murder in the poisoning death of his wife, Angela Craig, 43. She died on March 18, 2023, from lethal doses of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a decongestant found in over-the-counter eyedrops.
Investigators allege James Craig bought arsenic and cyanide days before his wife was poisoned to death, searched online about how to poison someone, was having an affair and faced financial difficulties.
On Friday, prosecutors moved to add an additional charge of solicitation to commit murder, as well a new count of solicitation to commit perjury against James Craig.
Aurora police spokesman Joe Moylan on Wednesday confirmed reporting by 9News that the target of that murder plot was an Aurora police detective assigned to investigate Angela Craig’s death. James Craig is suspected of trying to convince another inmate in the Arapahoe County jail to carry out the killing, 9News reported.
Moylan declined further comment.
The new charges against James Craig came a day after his attorney abruptly withdrew from the case on the eve of trial, citing ethical concerns about his client’s demanded course of action.
The jury trial scheduled for this month was delayed indefinitely and James Craig is due back in court on Dec. 16 to introduce a new attorney.
The former dentist is also charged with tampering with evidence and is accused of asking two different people — including his daughter — to cover up evidence in the case.
He used a communal computer at his workplace in Summerbrook Dental in Aurora to search for information on poison in the weeks before Angela Craig’s death, police allege.
The searches included: “how many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human,” “Is Arsenic Detectable in Autopsy,” “Top 5 Undetectable Poisons That Show No Signs of Foul Play,” “how to make poison,” and “The Top 10 Deadliest Plants (They Can Kill You),” according to his arrest affidavit.
His wife became ill and died shortly after James Craig bought poison online, police allege.
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