A Colorado dentist was arrested for the “heinous, complex and calculated murder” of his 43-year-old wife Sunday, according to Aurora police.
Cops said in a statement James Toliver Craig, 45, was taken into custody days after driving his wife to an area hospital after she complained of severe headaches and dizziness.
“Shortly after arriving at the hospital, the wife’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and she was placed on a ventilator in an intensive care unit,” police said. “She was declared medically brain dead a short time later.”
An investigation allegedly revealed the victim, who was hospitalized Wednesday, had been poisoned. Shortly after she was taken off life support, law enforcement moved in on Craig around 2 a.m. Sunday.
“When the suspicious details of this case came to light, our team of officers and homicide detectives tirelessly worked to uncover the truth behind the victim’s sudden illness and death,” Division Chief Mark Hildebrand said. “It was quickly discovered this was in fact a heinous, complex and calculated murder.”
Investigators did not reveal details on the alleged poisoning, but said the investigation is ongoing.
According to the Daily Beast, Craig has a container of potassium cyanide delivered to his office the Monday before his wife was hospitalized. He’d reportedly Googled information on poisons including, one search asking “Is Arsenic Detectable in Autopsy?”
An arrest warrant obtained by the Daily Beast indicated the suspect traded “sexually explicit” emails with an orthodontist in Texas, who was in Aurora the week the victim was hospitalized. Craig’s sister-in-law reportedly told investigators Craig and the victim were having marital and financial problems.
A 2021 press release touted Craig’s recognition as the “Continental Who’s Who as a Trusted Dentist” and his volunteer work at a Colorado food bank.
“Dr. Craig is happily married to his wife, Mrs. Angela Craig for 20 years, who often helps out at the practice,” that bulletin stated.
It said the pair had six grandchildren they enjoyed taking to theme parks and on camping trips.