Colorado dentist convicted of murder for poisoning his wife

A Colorado dentist was found guilty of murdering his wife in a methodical plot to poison her.

Dr. James Toliver Craig, 47, a Colorado dentist, was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder for poisoning his wife, Angela Craig.

He was also convicted on five additional counts: two counts of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence, two counts of solicitation to commit perjury in the first degree, and one count of solicitation to commit first-degree murder. He was found not guilty on one lesser charge of manslaughter.

Craig was sentenced afterward to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Immediately following the guilty verdict, the court proceeded directly to sentencing, where family members gave heartfelt statements honoring Angela Craig’s memory.

One of her sons described setting a nightly 10 p.m. alarm labeled "Mom" as a personal ritual to remember, miss, and mourn her.

Angela’s oldest brother, Ricky Pray, spoke through tears: "I’ve always been impressed by Angie’s obvious love and support for her children. She always found ways to draw in and include our extended family."

"Because of his selfishness, lust, dishonesty, and narcissism, our Angie is gone," he said.

Angela’s older sister, Catherine Pray, delivered a searing statement during sentencing, describing Craig as a "snake in the grass" who betrayed the very family he had vowed to join and protect.

"We were fooled. We were unable to help her. We were unable to save her. We were unable to rescue her from the person who was supposed to honor her, protect her," she said. "To save himself, he and his lawyers attacked her—her mental health, her faith, her loyalty, even accusing her of taking her own life. Shameful."

Angela’s sister, Cheri Pray Earl, tearfully addressed the court, calling Craig a "heartless excuse of a human being."

"I stand here knowing that no matter how I feel or what I say, it won’t affect you. You’re incapable of real feelings—for anyone, even yourself. So I speak today for my baby sister and best friend, Angela."

Rejecting the narrative presented by the defense, Earl declared: "She was not isolated, not angry, not broken. She was not the woman your defense tried to describe."

One of Angela and James Craig’s daughters described the pain of navigating life’s milestones without her mother:

"I was supposed to hug my mom when he died," she said. "Instead, I was left to take him home and figure out what to do. My mom was gone."

"I was supposed to get through my sister’s wedding with my mom. Even though I didn’t want to plan weddings—she did. I was supposed to tell her my stories, my projects, even the ones I never finished."

Speaking of her father, she said: "My dad was supposed to be my hero. But he’ll forever be the villain in my story. And that hurts so bad."

James Craig declined to speak during his sentencing.

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