Aurora Police Department Division Chief Mark Hildebrand called the reported poisoning “a heinous, complex and calculated murder.”
Photo taken in Bangkok, Thailand
A Colorado dentist accused of fatally poisoning his wife and mother to his six children so he could begin a new life with his lover was arrested on Sunday (March 19), an arrest affidavit states.
James Toliver Craig reportedly flew in his mistress – described as a Texas orthodontist who he had sent “sexually explicit” emails – while his wife lay dying in the hospital in what investigators said was by his own doing.
The 46-year-old even searched online for which poison would kill a person without being detected, and even purchased a can of toxic potassium cyanide to his office, just two days before his wife, Angela Craig, 43, was admitted to the hospital.
Angela’s allegedly was complaining of headaches and dizziness, according to the affidavit published by The City of Aurora.
Her condition continued to rapidly decline after being admitted last Wednesday, and was put on a ventilator before doctors declared her brain-dead.
She was taken off of life support Sunday, according to authorities.
The affidavit in question reads as a troubled marriage, with everything from financial issues to infidelity. Craig even reportedly poisoned his wife in a past incident, the legal document states.
Angela’s sister reportedly told investigators that Craig “had multiple affairs with several women, told Angela he had been addicted to pornography since he was a teenager and drugged Angela approximately five to six years ago.”
She added that Angela had told her Craig “was on the verge of bankruptcy,” which would make for a second time, according to authorities.
Angela’s sister also reportedly told her that Craig drugs her and planned to kill himself with a lethal injection, and didn’t want her to try and stop or save him.
She told her husband via text that she “felt drugged” earlier this month, when she first started to show symptoms of poisoning.
“Given our history I know that must be triggering,” Craig replied to her text. “Just for the record, I didn’t drug you. I am super worried though. You really looked pale before I left. Like in your lips even.”
Authorities say they believe he poisoned her with arsenic.
Craig allegedly used an computer at his dental office to determine how much of the drug is needed to kill someone, and placed orders for three deadly chemicals, arsenic, cyanide and oleandrin.
Investigators went on to claim that he poisoned his wife’s protein shakes with the toxins before eventually killing her with cyanide he ordered at his office.
He even told an employee at his dental practice that he was expecting a personal package that was to be delivered to the office, and specifically asked her not to open it.
But another worker ended up opening it by accident. When the first staffer was resealing the package, she discovered “a bio-hazard sticker and what said ‘Potassium Cyanide’ on a circular canister” inside, the affidavit states.
Craig reportedly tried to explain away the poison, claiming he ordered the potassium cyanide for his wife because she was suicidal.
However, investigators said Angela never showed any signs of suicidal thoughts.
Aurora Police Department Division Chief Mark Hildebrand called the reported poisoning “a heinous, complex and calculated murder.”