Colorado dentist gets life term for wife’s murder; poisoned her over days, tried to prove she asked for it

James Craig poisoned his wife over more than 10 days via protein shakes, then entered her hospital room with a syringe while she lay bedridden

James Craig, a Colorado dentist, was sentenced on Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering his wife in 2023. A jury convicted him of first-degree murder and other charges, rejecting his claim that he had assisted his wife in taking her own life after he asked for a divorce following repeated affairs.

Dentist James Craig, front right, is led away as Judge Shay Whitaker, back, looks on after verdict rendered in his murder trial in district court in Araphaoe Couty Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Centennial, Colo. (AP)

Associated Press quoted prosecutors as saying that Craig poisoned Angela Craig over more than 10 days by lacing her protein shakes, before entering her hospital room with a syringe while she was bedridden with a mysterious illness.

“The syringe he carried,” they said, “contained cyanide.” After he left, her condition rapidly worsened, and she died.

Toxicology tests showed Angela Craig, 43, died from cyanide and tetrahydrozoline poisoning – an ingredient commonly found in over-the-counter eye drops.

District Judge Shay Whitaker imposed the mandatory life sentence under Colorado law for first-degree murder.

Craig also guilty of attempted cover-up

In addition to murder, James Craig was also convicted of attempting to cover up the killing by persuading others to fabricate evidence and provide false testimony to make it seem as though his wife, Angela Craig, had either taken her own life or was trying to frame him.

He was found guilty of asking one of his daughters to create a fake video of Angela requesting to be poisoned, and of trying to convince a fellow inmate to kill the lead detective handling the investigation into her death.

Following his arrest for murder, Craig allegedly offered payment to others to make it appear that Angela was suicidal.

He also attempted to recruit a jailmate to eliminate the investigating detective.

Searched ‘how to make murder look like a heart attack’

In the days leading up to Angela’s death, prosecutors said Craig had searched online for information about poisons, including “How to make murder look like a heart attack.” He reportedly ordered multiple types of poison, which he discreetly administered to Angela via protein shakes and pills.

Angela was hospitalised multiple times with unexplained symptoms that puzzled doctors. On her third admission, she was declared brain-dead and died a few days later.

Craig did not take the stand, and his defence did not call any witnesses. Police discovered notes on his phone in which Craig claimed Angela had asked him to help her die using poison when he was seeking a divorce. In a file labelled “timeline,” Craig wrote that he eventually agreed to buy and prepare the poisons, but insisted he did not administer them.

What was his motive?

Prosecutor Michael Mauro said James Craig’s motive for murdering his wife was to avoid the reputational and financial fallout of a divorce, benefit from her life insurance policy, and be with the woman he was having an affair with.

Craig’s defence did not deny that cyanide and tetrahydrozoline were found in Angela Craig’s body, but argued the prosecution had not conclusively proven Craig was responsible. Defence attorney Katie Moses suggested Angela may have taken her own life, saying she was “broken” by Craig’s long history of infidelity. She referred to a 2009 journal entry where Angela wrote, “I feel depressed. I feel a huge sense of loss with no hope,” as well as similar notes from 2018.

In a document titled “timeline,” Craig claimed he agreed to purchase and prepare poisons for Angela but did not administer them. He wrote that she may have ingested tetrahydrozoline – the chemical found in eye drops – before her final hospital visit on 15 March 2023, after which she became weak and lethargic.

Craig also admitted to placing cyanide in some of Angela’s antibiotic capsules and preparing a syringe with the poison. Prosecutors presented hospital surveillance footage in court showing Craig holding a syringe before entering Angela’s room. According to Mauro, he administered the fatal dose through her IV, then walked out and messaged his lover.

Angela’s condition deteriorated rapidly.

After the sentencing, Mauro said that Craig was driven by “greed and cowardice,” saying, “The jury said it loudly: Angela was not suicidal. She had no knowledge of or participation in what happened to her.”

(With Associated Press inputs)