ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — A choose has decided there’s sufficient proof to prosecute a former Aurora dentist accused of poisoning his spouse in 2023 and allegedly making an attempt to get a fellow inmate to kill a detective investigating him.
James Craig was in courtroom Friday for a preliminary listening to in reference to the “murder-for-hire” costs he now faces after prosecutors revealed earlier this yr that he allegedly tried to persuade an Arapahoe County Jail inmate to kill an Aurora police detective engaged on a case involving the homicide of his spouse Angela.
The choose presiding over the case agreed with prosecutors that the content material of letters that James allegedly tried to cross of as belonging to his spouse have been “fairly indicative” that they have been written by Craig.
In a ruling simply earlier than 5 p.m. Friday, the choose stated info, particulars, background info, background historical past, and the truth that the inmate and Craig have been in a cell collectively — all weighed collectively in her resolution to prosecute the suspect.
After the choose introduced her resolution Craig’s protection stated he was pleading not responsible to the 2 further costs, that are solicitation to commit homicide and solicitation to commit perjury.
A pre-trial listening to is ready for June 27 at 8:30 a.m., with jury choice starting July 10 and 11.
The trial is predicted to start out July 14 and go till Aug. 1.
Choose guidelines former Aurora dentist in ‘murder-for-hire’ plot may be prosecuted
Arrest affidavit particulars spouse’s sick well being, poison clues
James Craig, who practiced dentistry at Summerbrook Dental Group, was arrested after his spouse, Angela Craig, 43, died on March 18, 2023 from deadly doses of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a decongestant present in over-the-counter eyedrops. She suffered by way of a number of bouts of illness the place docs couldn’t decide the trigger.
A 52-page arrest affidavit for James detailed how Angela Craig grew to become sick a number of instances in early and mid-March 2023 and was hospitalized, however docs couldn’t decide what was the reason for her signs. Throughout one of many visits, an individual alerted a nurse that he believed she had been poisoned, probably by James, in accordance with the affidavit. Round 12:30 a.m. on March 16, 2023, a detective discovered in regards to the decline of Angela’s well being. As of that point, she was nonetheless on life assist with no mind exercise.
She was pronounced mind lifeless on March 18 at 4:29 p.m., in accordance with the affidavit.
Throughout a search warrant on the dentist workplace, police seized computer systems and so they discovered from a single system {that a} consumer had searched many poison-related inquiries, together with, “What number of grams of pure arsenic will kill a human” and “Is arsenic detectable in post-mortem?” The consumer had additionally looked for chemical suppliers in Aurora in addition to YouTube movies about making poison, together with one titled “High 5 Undetectable Poisons That Present No Signal of Foul Play.”
Aurora Police Display screen
Detectives additionally discovered messages, together with journey plans, with a lady that have been “intimate in nature and contained sexually specific conversations,” in accordance with the affidavit.
The affidavit additionally states that James made a number of orders for arsenic and cyanide.
By means of the investigation, police seen many similarities between Angela’s signs and the results of ingesting cyanide and arsenic, as outlined by the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC).
An individual instructed authorities they knew James made protein shakes for his spouse once they exercised and that she had felt faint and dizzy after ingesting them. The protein powder and shakers have been seized in a search warrant. Police stated within the affidavit that they consider the poison was in these shakes.
An alleged plot from jail to kill a detective investigating the case
James was arrested early the next day on a cost of first-degree homicide after deliberation, however new costs have been added since: Two counts of solicitation to commit tampering with bodily proof, two counts of first-degree solicitation to commit perjury, and one rely of first-degree solicitation to commit homicide. These final two have been filed on Nov. 22 of final yr.
In courtroom paperwork obtained by Denver7 shortly after these newest costs have been added, prosecutors alleged James dedicated the crime between Oct. 19 and Nov. 15 of 2023. Additionally they allege that Jamestried to persuade an Arapahoe County Jail inmate to kill an Aurora police detective engaged on the case.
Testifying in courtroom in Could of this yr, Aurora Police Detective Bobbi Olson, the lead detective on the case, stated James had requested the inmate, who was going to bond out, to position letters in his storage and truck at his residence to make it seem as if Angela had written them. Olson stated the letters have been alleged to convey that Angela was not proud of life, was suicidal and had discovered her husband was having an affair. The intent was for regulation enforcement or protection attorneys to search out the letters, in accordance with Olson.
In trade for putting the letters, James supplied the inmate free dental work or cash for his or her bond, however the inmate didn’t take James up on the provide and as an alternative contacted regulation enforcement, Olson stated.
Aurora dentist accused of killing spouse mentioned it with mistress, district legal professional alleges
The AP would go on to report in November of final yr that prosecutors additionally alleged James “requested one other former fellow inmate to search out engaging girls who would conform to testify at his trial that they’d affairs with him and, after Angela Craig discovered, they’d refused to assist her body him.”
James pleaded not responsible to the homicide cost in October 2023, however has not but entered a plea for the brand new costs.
A day earlier than the newer costs have been filed, a choose allowed hist newest lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, to withdraw from the case after he cited knowledgeable battle, in accordance with the Related Press. Our companions at The Denver Submit reported that Steinberg stated James was persisting in a plan of action that he “moderately believes is felony or fraudulent,” and that James was insisting on motion he “considers repugnant or… has a basic disagreement (with).”
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