Colorado dentist James Craig, accused of poisoning his wife with a protein shake, tried to recruit an ex-prisoner

A Colorado dentist accused of poisoning his wife’s protein shakes reportedly tried to rig a murder trial by having an inmate plant evidence that would make the woman’s death look like a suicide.

Dr. James Craig wrote a letter from prison to a former inmate in an attempt to convince the former inmate to commit perjury by posting fake suicide notes at his family’s home, Aurora police said, according to the Denver Gazette.

According to this letter, Craig wrote these fake notes from prison and gave them to a man who had recently been released.

The alleged killer told how his would-be accomplice would also have to find attractive women who would be willing to lie to the court and say they had an affair with Craig, police told the court.

These matters allegedly motivated Angela to commit suicide to spite her unfaithful husband.

Craig offered his cellmate’s mother free dental care in exchange for a favor, the Denver Gazette reported.

According to the publication, the letter was never received – it was returned to the sender after the dentist forgot to indicate the apartment number of his potential accomplice in the address line.

A prison technician would then receive, open and read the letter, police told the court.

Defense attorney Harvey Steinberg abruptly withdrew from the case earlier this week ahead of jury selection.

He cited two rules of professional conduct, saying his client was attempting to coerce the lawyer into committing fraud or other criminal acts, according to The Denver Post.

The judge adjourned the trial to accommodate the abrupt change.

According to the Denver Post, Dr. Craig is due back in court on December 16, where he is expected to introduce a new lawyer.

Angela Craig, 43, died March 18, 2023, from a lethal dose of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a decongestant found in over-the-counter eye drops.

Prosecutors say Craig searched the Internet for information on how to poison someone and bought arsenic and cyanide in the days before Angela’s death.

These queries, supposedly conducted on a public computer, included questions such as: “how many grams of pure arsenic will kill a person”, “Can arsenic be detected in an autopsy”, “Top 5 undetectable poisons that show no signs of foul play”, “How to make poison ” and “The 10 Deadliest Plants (They Can Kill You),” according to prosecutors.

Craig conducted that search and developed his murder plan shortly after he began an extramarital affair, prosecutors say.

The dentist faces charges of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, first-degree murder and incitement to commit perjury based on his insidious letter.

Craig maintains he is innocent of all charges.

The route is scheduled to begin in early January.