AURORA, Colorado: A Colorado dentist has been arrested on Sunday following allegations of poisoning and killing his wife.
James Toliver Craig, 45, had driven his wife, 43, to the hospital on Wednesday after she complained of severe headaches and dizziness, according to a statement from the Aurora Police Department.
However, shortly after arriving at the hospital, the woman’s condition rapidly deteriorated, and she was placed on a ventilator in an intensive care unit.
She was eventually declared medically brain-dead. Doctors took her off life support and contacted the police on Sunday because they believed her medical situation was suspicious.
The Aurora Police Department’s Major Crimes Homicide Unit launched an investigation into the woman’s death and determined she had been poisoned.
Police obtained a warrant for Craig’s arrest shortly after his wife was taken off life support. Craig was arrested early Sunday morning on first-degree murder charges in connection with his wife’s death. He was then booked into the county jail.
The incident remains under investigation. Division Chief Mark Hildebrand praised the Major Crimes Homicide Unit’s hard work in uncovering evidence towards Craig’s heinous, complex, and calculated murder.
This case reflects the urgent need to ensure that domestic violence survivors can access specialized services without fear of retaliatory violence.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crimes.
One in three women and one in four men in the United States have experienced some form of domestic violence. Understanding domestic violence and its impact on victims is critical to preventing future tragedies. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, there are resources available, such as the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).