One of the attorneys representing a former Aurora dentist charged with the murder of his wife has withdrawn from the case after his own arrest on an arson charge.

The Arapahoe County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Thursday that Robert Werking filed a motion to withdraw as James Craig’s attorney. Craig is scheduled to go on trial next week for the death of his wife Angela Craig. He was originally supposed to go on trial in November 2024, but his attorney at the time withdrew from the case after telling the judge that new information obtained in discovery left him no choice. 

In addition to first-degree murder in the March 18, 2023, poisoning death of Angela, James faces five other charges: Two counts of soliciting others to tamper with evidence, two counts of soliciting others to commit perjury, and a charge of soliciting murder based on allegations that he tried to arrange multiple killings from his jail cell.

Werking and Lisa Moses took on the case as court-appointed attorneys after Craig’s former attorney withdrew from the case on Nov. 21, 2024, the day jury selection began.

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