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A Colorado dentist accused of murdering his wife by putting poison in a protein shake was formally charged Thursday with first-degree murder.
James Tolliver Craig, 45, appeared in an orange prison jumpsuit at Arapahoe County District Court in Centennial, Colorado, where prosecutors filed a formal indictment and the defense filed all law enforcement notes. Craig of Aurora, Colorado also waived his right to a preliminary hearing within 35 days to give his attorney more time.
A status hearing was set for 3:00 PM MT on April 7th.
Craig was arrested early Sunday morning and has been preliminarily charged with first-degree murder. He was ordered to be held without bail, according to an Aurora Police Department press release and an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by ABC News. did not respond.
The indictment stems from the poisoning death of his 43-year-old wife, Angela Craig, who was hospitalized three times in 10 days for severe headaches and dizziness. She was admitted to her UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora on the morning of her March 15th. She then had a seizure shortly after and her condition deteriorated so quickly that she was placed on a ventilator in the intensive care unit. According to her affidavit, she was declared medically brain dead on Saturday afternoon, after which she was taken off life support.
The Aurora Police Department’s Serious Crimes and Homicide Division was called in to investigate and eventually found that Angela Craig had been poisoned.
“When questionable details of the case came to light, a team of officers and homicide investigators worked tirelessly to uncover the truth behind the victim’s sudden illness and death,” it said. Mark Hildebrand, Aurora Police Department Chief of Investigations, said in a statement. Sunday. “It was soon discovered that this was in fact a heinous, complex and calculated murder. I am proud of.”
A week before his wife’s death, James Craig used Aurora Dental Office’s computer to create a new email address and posted questions such as “How many grams of pure arsenic would kill a person?” and “Can arsenic be detected?” I did an online search on poisons. at an autopsy,” his affidavit said. According to his affidavit, he also purchased arsenic online on his February 23rd and it was delivered to his home on March 4th.
Two days later, Angela Craig sent her husband a text message complaining of dizziness and she felt “medicated,” the affidavit said. I know it must be triggered.For the record, I didn’t drug you.But I’m very worried.Before I leave, you looked really pale, like your lips.”
According to the affidavit, when Angela Craig asked her if she “ate anything,” she replied, “I drank a protein shake.” I was hospitalized, treated and discharged. On the same day, James Craig ordered oleandrin, a poisonous plant extract, but the package was “intercepted by FedEx” and was not delivered, his affidavit states.
According to the affidavit, while his wife was hospitalized again from March 9 to March 14, James Craig ordered potassium cyanide, a highly lethal compound, which was delivered to the dentist’s office on March 13. was given. When Angela Craig was hospitalized for the last time on March 15, one of her husband’s business partners delivered potassium cyanide to the nurses in charge and said there was no need for it at their dental office. and urged the nurse to contact the police, the affidavit said.
James Craig was known to have his wife drink protein shakes on a regular basis, and investigators believe he administered the poison via these drinks. According to TV, the couple had six children.
Investigators spoke to Angela Craig’s sister, who said the couple’s marriage was tumultuous and that James Craig had multiple affairs with other women.Angela Craig also told her sister that she was drugged years ago by her husband who was planning to commit suicide and didn’t want her to stop him. told investigators that James Craig “said that the hospital staff would not allow an autopsy to be performed.”
Investigators found James Craig had told some of his employees that “his marriage was failing” and that “he was in financial turmoil.” After Angela’s Craig’s death, James Craig also told the Colorado Department of Social Services that his wife was suicidal and that “he saved her many times but never reported it.” However, the affidavit states that none of the people interviewed by investigators suggested that Angela Craig was having suicidal thoughts.
An investigation found that James Craig “showed plans and intentions to end his wife’s life” with another woman. to the affidavit.
ABC News’ Jenna Harrison Esseling, Jen Leon, Michelle Mendes, Dominic Proto, Darren Reynolds and Ben Stein contributed to this report.
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