The murder trial of an Aurora dentist accused of poisoning his wife last year has been delayed by four months because a toxicologist scheduled to provide critical testimony for the defense suffered a stroke. The trial of James Craig, 46, is now scheduled to start with jury selection on Aug. 8, 2024, with opening statements scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Aug. 13.

The trial is expected to last two weeks. 

Craig’s attorney, Liz Delay, argued that if the trial were to start on the original April 18 date, it would be hard to find a replacement toxicologist to testify to evidence which is “obviously critical to the case.” The defense learned of Dr. Henry Spiller’s stroke on Feb. 22, according to a motion for continuance obtained by The Denver Gazette.

Spiller is the former director of poison centers in Kentucky and Ohio. 

Prosecutors objected to the continuance partly due to the fact that Angela Pray Craig’s siblings “are looking for finality” in their sister’s death.

The Craig’s six children, through their attorney Lara Marks Baker, deferred to the court. Several of the couple’s adult children have attended hearings, most often sitting on the prosecution’s side of the courtroom. 

James Craig wore an orange jumpsuit to his hearing and was handcuffed. 

The trial will rest heavily on the toxic substances that were discovered in Mrs. Craig’s body. The prosecution will call one or two toxicologists from the Rocky Mountain Poison Center to testify that Angela Craig died as a result of her husband’s alleged plan to poison her so that he could start a new life, according to their theory presented at the preliminary hearing.

Cyanide and chemical found in Visine

Angela Craig had high levels of chemical tetrahydrozoline and cyanide in her body that killed her, according to Arapahoe County Coroner Kelly Lear, who did the autopsy.

One of only two witnesses at Craig’s preliminary hearing, Lear said that she had more than 400 times the amount of tetrahydrozoline in her body than a therapeutic dose. Her manner of death was ruled a homicide.

Tetrahydrozoline is the chemical found in Visine eyedrops. It’s the chemical, Lear explained, that “gets the red out.” 

In their continuance motion, Craig’s attorneys said that they became alarmed when they were “suddenly and unexpectedly unable to reach Dr. Henry Spiller” and then realized that he had become ill around Feb. 22. 

Spiller has testified about the dangers of tetrahydrozoline in other trials — perhaps most recently in the November trial of a Pewaukee, Wisconsin woman accused of poisoning her friend with eye drops in 2018. 

Computer searches will be allowed

The delay of Craig’s trial is considered a win for the defense, but prosecutor’s also scored a victory in court Friday.

In an important ruling, 18th Judicial District Judge Shay Whitaker granted the admission at trial of explosive information discovered from police searches on Craig’s computer, laptop and iPhone made in the month before Angela Craig died.

The former dentist was searching online dating sites on his computer while while Mrs. Craig was experiencing debilitating symptoms of illness, according to his dental business partner, Ryan Redfearn, Whitaker’s 30-page ruling stated. 

Whitaker either denied or found moot, ten motions by Craig’s attorneys to throw out searches on several devices including the defendant’s cellphone, iPad, laptop, and work computer and also allowed communication on a gmail account called jimandwaffles@gmail.com. This was an account Craig set up in February on which he communicated with an Austin orthodontist whom he met at a conference and with whom he started a relationship while his wife was sick.

Only searches on the devices which were done from Feb. 16-March 16 will be allowed during the trial. Angela Craig was rushed to the hospital with a severe headache and dizziness on March 15 at around 11 am, and collapsed that afternoon, never to wake up, according to the arrest affidavit.

“At approximately 2:00 p.m. on the 15th, A.C. experienced a seizure and her condition declined precipitously, resulting in placement on life support.  It was reported to police that Defendant asked the hospital to remove A.C. from life support and that this request was refused due to suspicions of poisoning,” Whitaker’s ruling stated.

She ruled that Google searches for certain types of poisons which were found on a work computer in a back examination room of Craig’s dental office will be allowed at trial.

Those searches occurred as Angela Craig was suffering in the hospital with doctors unable to figure out what was wrong with her, according the arrest affidavit. Redfearn, told a nurse that Craig had ordered potassium cyanide even though they did not need it for their work, according to an arrest warrant laying out evidence gathered by investigators.

After allegedly Googling questions like, “Is Arsenic Detectable in Autopsy?” investigators believe Craig put arsenic in one of the protein shakes he routinely made for his wife for their workouts on March 6 and then, after she survived, he ordered a rush shipment of potassium cyanide that he told the supplier was needed for a surgery. Craig had asked an office manager not to open that package but another employee did, leading to its discovery and eventual disclosure to authorities, the document said. 

During a phone conversation with Redfearn while his wife was dying, Craig said that it was actually Angela who wanted for him to order the potassium cyanide, but “he did not think she would ingest it” Whitaker’s ruling stated. 

Craig’s attorneys wanted to suppress the searches for several reasons including their contention that investigators did not have probable cause to access his devices. Some of those queries were discovered by detectives through searching the hard drive of an office computer but made from the newly-established jimandwaffles@gmail.com account,

Craig couple’s four children will testify at trial

It was revealed during Friday’s hearing that at least four of the Craig’s six children will testify at their father’s murder trial. 18th Judicial District Attorney Michael Mauro requested that a therapy dog be present when they take the stand. The judge did not rule on that issue yet.

Craig’s next hearing date was scheduled for the morning of April 16.