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A dentist in Colorado has been found guilty of murdering his wife in a calculated scheme to poison her.
Dr. James Toliver Craig, a 47-year-old dentist from Colorado, was convicted on Wednesday of first-degree murder for poisoning his wife, Angela Craig.
Additionally, he was found guilty on five other charges, including two counts of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence, two counts of solicitation to commit perjury in the first degree, and one count of solicitation to commit first-degree murder. He was acquitted of a lesser charge of manslaughter.
Craig was then sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Following the verdict, the court went straight to sentencing, where family members paid tribute to Angela Craig’s memory with heartfelt statements.
One of her sons shared a touching ritual of setting an alarm every night at 10 p.m. labeled “Mom” to remember, miss, and mourn her.
Angela’s oldest brother, Ricky Pray, tearfully expressed his admiration for her love and support for her children, as well as her ability to bring the extended family together.
Angela’s older sister, Catherine Pray, delivered a powerful statement during sentencing, denouncing Craig as a “snake in the grass” who had betrayed the family he had promised to protect.
Another sister, Cheri Pray Earl, described Craig as a “heartless excuse of a human being” and vowed to speak out for her late sister and best friend, Angela.
During the trial, one of Angela and James Craig’s daughters spoke about the pain of experiencing life’s milestones without her mother by her side.
She expressed her disappointment in her father, stating, “My dad was supposed to be my hero. But he’ll forever be the villain in my story. And that hurts so bad.”
James Craig chose not to address the court during his sentencing.
Angela Craig passed away in 2023 during her third hospital visit in just over a week. Her cause of death was determined to be acute poisoning by cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, an ingredient found in over-the-counter eye drops.
Prosecutors argued during the three-week trial that the Colorado dentist killed his wife due to financial pressures and an extramarital affair with a Texas orthodontist. The defense, however, claimed that Angela Craig was depressed and suicidal.
Details of the Murder Plot
Court documents revealed that Angela Craig began experiencing unexplained symptoms, such as dizziness, vomiting, and severe headaches, in March 2023.
Her condition deteriorated rapidly between March 6-16, 2023, with symptoms including blurred vision, feeling drugged, seizures, and a decline in health.
After multiple hospitalizations, Angela slipped into a coma and was pronounced brain-dead on August 18, 2023.
Prosecutors presented evidence during the trial that supported the claim of acute poisoning by cyanide and tetrahydrozoline as the cause of Angela’s death.
Medical staff testified about Angela’s rapid decline, refuting the defense’s argument that she was suicidal.
During the trial, a friend of Angela’s, Nicole Harmon, testified that Angela never expressed a desire to end her life and was not a risk-taker.
Harmon recounted an incident where she found Angela in distress after consuming a shake given to her by James Craig, who dismissed her symptoms as post-COVID effects.
The defense portrayed Angela as emotionally broken and manipulative, while two of Craig’s children testified against him, describing their mother as their best friend who was excited to become a grandmother.
Central to the trial were Craig’s extramarital affairs, including one with a Texas orthodontist, Dr. Karin Cain. Cain testified about their romantic and spiritual texts, which prosecutors argued were part of Craig’s motive for the murder.
Another woman, Carrie Hageseth, testified about her transactional relationship with Craig, where he paid her daughter’s car bills. She recounted a chilling conversation where Craig mentioned a movie plot involving killing without consequences.
The testimonies painted Craig as leading a double life, reinforcing the prosecution’s claim of a calculated murder plot.
This report includes contributions from Peter D’Abrosca of Fox News Digital.
