CENTENNIAL, Colo. — A dentist who has been accused of murdering his wife by lacing her protein shakes with poison reportedly attempted to arrange for the assassination of the lead investigator on the case, whom he referred to in derogatory terms. This information emerged during an evidentiary hearing held on Friday, where Senior Chief Deputy Prosecutor Michael Mauro outlined the allegations against James Craig. Mauro indicated that Craig harbored a deep loathing for Aurora police detective Bobbi Olson due to her extensive involvement in the investigation.
Craig allegedly offered another inmate, identified as Nathaniel Harris, a hefty sum of $20,000 to eliminate Detective Olson, whom Craig labeled as “the worst, dirtiest detective.” In addition, he is accused of proposing similar bounties to Harris for the lives of three other individuals, including another police officer whose whereabouts have not been established and two additional inmates currently in jail. Furthermore, Craig purportedly sent letters from his incarceration to Harris’ ex-wife, enticing her with $20,000 each for four individuals she could persuade to falsely testify during his trial, asserting that they had known his departed wife, Angela Craig, and that she was contemplating suicide.
One of Craig’s defense attorneys, Robert Werking, criticized the investigation for not verifying whether Craig indeed authored the letters, advocating that handwriting analysis should have been conducted. He pointed out that both Harris and his ex-wife had previously been involved in a forgery case in 2005, raising doubts about their credibility. Judge Shay Whitaker remarked on the intricate details contained in the letters that could be leveraged to fabricate a narrative about Angela Craig, echoing the prosecution’s claims. Following discussions, she determined there was sufficient evidence for James Craig to face trial on two additional charges: solicitation to commit murder and solicitation to commit perjury, although the prosecution will need to present further evidence in the upcoming trial.
After the judge’s decision, Craig, who was dressed in an orange jail uniform, entered a not guilty plea regarding the new charges. Detective Olson remained in close proximity to the prosecution during the hearings and was quickly escorted from the courtroom by officers once the session concluded. A spokesperson for the Aurora Police declined to provide any comments concerning Craig’s remarks about Olson.
Outside the courthouse, Werking stated that he was unable to discuss the particulars of the case due to a gag order affecting all parties involved. Craig’s previous pleas of not guilty included charges of first-degree murder, two counts of solicitation to tamper with evidence, and a prior charge of solicitation to commit perjury.
Angela Craig, aged 43, passed away in March 2023 as a result of poisoning from substances including cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a chemical found in certain over-the-counter eye drops, according to coroner reports. The couple had maintained a lengthy marriage spanning 23 years and had six children together.
This report has been updated to clarify that one of the charges to which Craig pleaded not guilty was indeed solicitation to tamper with evidence, rather than tampering with evidence itself.
