Closing arguments are set to take place on Tuesday in the trial of James Craig, a Colorado dentist accused of murdering his wife, Angela Craig, through gradual poisoning. The trial, which has captured public attention, takes place in the Arapahoe District Court located in Centennial, Colorado. James Craig is charged with murder stemming from his wife’s death in 2023 and has also faced allegations of attempting to fabricate evidence to suggest that Angela took her own life. In a disturbing twist, he is accused of soliciting a fellow inmate to kill the detective who led the investigation into his wife's death.
Angela Craig, a mother of six, was hospitalized multiple times before her death on March 15, 2023. Toxicology reports revealed that she died from poison, specifically cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, which is commonly found in over-the-counter eye drops. Prosecutors contend that James Craig had purchased a variety of poisons prior to his wife's death and mixed them into protein shakes he prepared for her. They further allege that he administered a lethal dose of cyanide while she was in her hospital bed, as doctors struggled to diagnose her condition.
In the proceedings, James Craig chose not to testify, and his legal team did not call any witnesses. Instead, during both opening statements and cross-examinations, Craig's attorneys hinted that Angela may have taken her own life and criticized the police for their exclusive focus on James Craig as a suspect. Notably, police discovered a set of notes on Craig's phone in which he detailed Angela’s request for him to help her die using poison as they navigated marital troubles, including his infidelity and a pending divorce. The notes, labeled “timeline,” indicated that he had agreed to prepare poisons for her to use, although he claimed he never intended to administer them directly.
Furthermore, Craig's timeline suggested that Angela had ingested a mixture containing tetrahydrozoline just before her hospitalization, leading to her severe lethargy and weakness. A family friend, Mark Pray, testified that he gave Angela the antibiotic capsules after being directed by James Craig to do so. According to Pray, after taking the medicine, Angela struggled to remain upright and subsequently required immediate hospitalization.
The investigation revealed inconsistencies in James Craig's statements. Detective Bobbi Olson, the lead investigator, testified that the timeline Craig provided conflicted with previous assertions he had made, including claims that Angela was attempting to frame him. The defense sought to introduce Angela's journal entries, which suggested she was struggling in the marriage due to her husband's infidelity. In one particular entry, she expressed feelings of being unloved, although the journal did not include any indications of suicidal thoughts, and it concluded in 2018.
In an effort to portray a fractured marital relationship, one of Craig's attorneys, Ashley Whitham, characterized Angela as "broken" due to the infidelities and her desire to uphold their marriage, influenced by their affiliation with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, Angela’s sister, Toni Kofoed, contested this narrative, stating that while her sister was indeed heartbroken by the affairs, she was not mentally unstable.
Prosecutors have argued that James Craig's motivations for murdering his wife were twofold: his romantic involvement with another dentist and financial difficulties. As the trial approaches its conclusion with closing arguments, the case continues to captivate the public and raise questions about the complexities of marriage, fidelity, and justice.
