CYANIDE in the Kitchen—Woman’s Death Stuns Community

Modern kitchen with black cabinets and stainless appliances

Prosecutors say a Colorado dentist used his medical know-how to allegedly turn the family kitchen into a deadly laboratory, but the story only gets more jaw-dropping as his murder trial unfolds and the legal chess match reveals a tangled web of deceit, family tragedy, and the audacity of a man accused of poisoning his wife’s protein shakes.

At a Glance

James Craig, a suburban Denver dentist, stands accused of murdering his wife by poisoning her shakes with cyanide and arsenic.
Digital evidence shows Craig researched “how to make murder look like a heart attack” and ordered toxic chemicals to his dental practice.
Craig allegedly tried to manipulate evidence and witnesses from jail, compounding the serious charges against him.
The trial is set for July 2025, with the case drawing widespread media and public scrutiny over the misuse of medical knowledge and digital footprints.

A Dentist’s Oath Broken: When Medical Knowledge Becomes a Weapon

James Craig wasn’t just a dentist—he was a trusted professional in his Aurora, Colorado, community, a father, and, by all outward appearances, a family man. But prosecutors argue that behind closed doors, Craig turned expertise into a lethal tool. His wife, Angela, suffered a series of mysterious illnesses in early 2023, landing in the hospital multiple times as doctors struggled to pinpoint the cause. Instead of standing by her side, evidence points to Craig allegedly researching “how to make murder look like a heart attack” and “is arsenic detectable in an autopsy,” all while ordering potassium cyanide and arsenic to his office—poisons that would soon show up in Angela’s system following her tragic death.

Angela Craig’s repeated hospitalizations, combined with toxicology reports revealing lethal doses of cyanide, tetrahydrozoline (from eye drops), and high levels of arsenic, painted a damning picture. Employees at Craig’s dental practice discovered a suspicious shipment of potassium cyanide on March 13, 2023, just two days before Angela was admitted to the hospital for the last time. By March 19, James Craig was under arrest, facing charges that have rocked his family and the entire community. The betrayal of trust—both professional and personal—has become the central theme of this trial, with the prosecution arguing that Craig’s actions were deliberate, calculated, and cold-blooded.

Legal Fireworks and a Defense in Disarray

James Craig’s legal woes didn’t stop at the murder charge. As if poisoning his wife weren’t enough, prosecutors have brought forth “murder-for-hire” allegations, accusing Craig of trying to manipulate the justice system from behind bars. According to court filings, Craig attempted to have letters planted to make it seem like Angela was suicidal. He also reportedly tried to recruit women to fabricate stories of affairs, aiming to muddy the waters and create reasonable doubt in the jury’s mind. These new charges have only intensified the public spectacle and further eroded what little credibility Craig might have had left.

The drama spilled into the courtroom when Harvey Steinberg, Craig’s defense attorney, withdrew from the case, citing a professional conflict and a fundamental disagreement with his client’s actions. Steinberg’s decision underscores the ethical quagmire swirling around this case—a defense attorney walking away from a high-profile client because, as he put it, he could not professionally support Craig’s strategy. This rare move highlights the lengths to which Craig allegedly went to distort the truth and obstruct justice.

A Family Shattered and a Community on Edge

The collateral damage from this case extends far beyond the courtroom. The Craig children and extended family have been thrown into chaos, their lives upended by a father’s alleged betrayal and a mother’s untimely death. Employees and patients at Craig’s dental practice are left grappling with shock and disbelief, questioning how someone so trusted could allegedly orchestrate such a heinous crime using the very tools of his profession.

This case has sparked heated debates about the responsibilities of medical professionals and the safeguards—or lack thereof—against the misuse of toxic substances. The Aurora community, already reeling from the loss, now faces a reckoning over the trust placed in professionals and the warning signs that so often go unnoticed until it’s too late. The trial’s outcome could set important precedents for the use of digital evidence, professional oversight, and the handling of complex poisoning cases, with ripple effects likely to be felt well beyond Colorado.