Trail of texts, emails and poison implicate Colorado dentist in wife's death, police say

Mar. 20—An Aurora dentist who wanted to start a new relationship with a Texas orthodontist allegedly poisoned his wife with potassium-cyanide-laced protein shakes to get rid of her, according to an Aurora Police arrest affidavit.

As Angela Craig became increasingly ill, her husband, James, told people that she was suicidal and hooked on opioids, investigators said.

Craig, 45, was arrested just after midnight Sunday and is facing at least one count of first degree murder in connection with Angela Craig's lingering death.

Aurora police said Craig's marriage and business were on the rocks and he had just begun a romantic relationship with a Texas orthodontist when he started his plans, according to the affidavit released Monday.

The 18th Judicial District Attorneys' office is contemplating whether to add charges. Craig had his first appearance in court Monday morning.

Craig was the co-owner of Sunnybrook Dental at 14991 E. Hampden Ave. in Aurora. Angela's Facebook page, titled "Angela N Jim Craig," showed a profile photo of the couple surrounded by six children.

It was Craig's dental business partner who pulled a nurse aside at University Hospital and advised her that Angela Craig may have the deadly poison in her system and asked doctors to check for it, according to the 52-page arrest affidavit.

The Craigs were having marital problems and may have been headed for a divorce when the 45-year-old dentist opened a new Gmail account on Feb. 27, investigators said in the arrest record.

From that account, Aurora police alleged, Craig was researching poisons, putting in urgent orders for potassium cyanide and exchanging emails with his mistress.

"It appears James was flying this woman into Denver while his wife and the mother of his children was dying in the hospital," arrest documents alleged.

There are also text messages in the arrest documents detailing conversations between the Craigs as Angela Craig became increasingly ill. The conversations started on March 6, the day she started complaining of mysterious dizziness symptoms, texting her "head wasn't right." She was admitted to Parker Adventist Hospital, and went home that day.

"Baby I love you so much," Craig wrote his wife in a text message. "I wish I could just stay up 24 seven and be with you. I know it's lonely and boring and maybe sometimes scary and I just want to be there to support you through all of it."

During that time, Craig constantly texted his wife, inquiring about how she was feeling, and specifically wondered about whether she was getting worse. He asked her to tell him how she compared her symptoms from one day to another.

One of the texts wooed her, explaining how much she meant to him.

"As the song says I hope you know that you're enough for me. Indeed more than enough," he wrote.

March 9, Angela Craig was again admitted to Parker Adventist with low blood pressure and vomiting, and she stayed there for five days until the 14th, the affidavit contended.

The next day, Mrs. Craig got worse. The arrest record said her brother drove her to University Hospital, where she experienced seizures and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Craig met them them there. She had no brain activity, never regained consciousness and died March 18.

Craig asked doctors not to perform an autopsy, explaining that if they couldn't find out what was wrong with her when she was alive, he didn't want medical staff poking her more after she was dead, the affidavit said.

A flight itinerary listed in the arrest record showed that, while Angela was on life support, the orthodontist from Texas had a flight from Austin to Denver March 16.

That day, she wrote Craig an email: "Honey ... I do want to give you any comfort I can but I do not feel it is right for me to mix in with all of those gathering to mourn Angela either and I don't want to meet your family as a friend and try to conceal what I feel for you."

In her signature, she said she loved him.

Most of Sunnybrook's web presence had been taken down by Monday.

Angela Craig's family has not responded to a request for comment and there is no word on funeral plans for her.

James Craig is next due in court Thursday at 8:30 a.m. when he will be advised of formal charges.