Colo. dentist who poisoned wife’s shakes back in court: cops

The Colorado dentist accused of poisoning his wife’s protein shakes was hauled into court in shackles and an orange jumpsuit Thursday, where he was charged with her murder.

James Toliver Craig, 45, looked sullen as he entered the courtroom in his Arapahoe County Detention Center-issue jail garb.

He stands accused of attempting to poison his 43-year-old wife Angela with concoctions laced with arsenic and potassium cyanide, police said.

The appearance came a day after it emerged the Mormon father of six had allegedly been in the throes of an affair with Austin, Texas based orthodontist Karen Cain while poisoning his spouse — and she had flown to “visit him while his wife was in the hospital sick,” according to the document.

One flight for Cain to visit “was purchased on March 4, 2023, which was the same date the arsenic was delivered to James’ house,” police wrote.

Cain has not responded to The Post’s attempts to reach her regarding the allegations.

An arrest warrant describes how Craig had allegedly attempted to poison his wife in the past. Angela Craig’s sister told investigators he had drugged her “five to six years ago,” and had allegedly done so using an unknown drug “because he planned to go into their bathroom and give himself a lethal injection of something and commit suicide.”

In their arrest warrant police pointed to a text message exchange between Angela and James in March 2023 while the woman was feeling sick, in which Angela wrote: “I feel drugged.”

“James told Angela he drugged her so she wouldn’t find him nor be able to save him, which would give the lethal drugs time to kill him,” the document states.

Craig allegedly responded to his wife: “Given our history, I know that must be triggering. Just for the record, I didn’t drug you.”

Meanwhile, Angela’s sister told police the couple’s marriage “had always been tumultuous,” and involved James’ “multiple affairs with several women,” and his alleged longstanding addiction to pornography, authorities said.

Craig’s business partner notified police after catching wind of a suspicious package — Potassium Cyanide — that James had had shipped to his dental practice. An office manager mistakenly opened the package, then notified Craig’s partner.

Angela Craig was pronounced brain dead on March 18, police said. James was then arrested Sunday.

James Craig’s family, including at least one of his adult children, were present at the Thursday morning court appearance, the Daily Mail reported, though he allegedly did not acknowledge them as he shuffled in.

Craig was charged with first-degree murder and ordered has been ordered held without bond. His attorney, an Arapahoe County public defender, did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

He reportedly waived his right to a preliminary hearing and is due back in court on April 7.