The concept that the dentist, Dr. Jim Craig, was accused of murdering his wife Angela, who they had been married to for 23 years, was difficult to comprehend given how close the Craigs appeared to be. Chelsea Otoya expressed how heartbreaking the situation was for everyone, and Steffan Tubbs, while driving past the former location of Summerbrook Dental, reflected on his interactions with Dr. Craig. Tubbs shared that he had received excellent care from Dr. Craig and had met Angela, who was a vital part of their family and dental practice.
Angela Craig was described as the heart and soul of the family, actively involved in the dental practice and business operations alongside her husband. Tubbs witnessed their collaborative efforts firsthand and found it inspiring to see a family-owned business run by a husband and wife duo. However, the narrative took a dark turn as Tubbs delved into the allegations surrounding Angela’s tragic demise, detailed in a comprehensive 52-page arrest warrant.
The warrant outlined disturbing claims that Dr. James Craig had planned and executed his wife’s murder, a stark contrast to the caring and friendly individual Tubbs had known. The events leading up to Angela’s death were explored, starting from the day she sought medical help due to feeling unwell. Despite initial visits to the hospital and concerns raised by medical professionals, Angela was eventually sent home where she believed she was safe within her marriage.
Through text messages exchanged between James and Angela, a loving and supportive relationship seemed evident. However, as the investigation into Angela’s final days unfolded, it became clear that the reality was far more complex and tragic than what initially appeared on the surface. George Brauchler, a former district attorney and radio personality, also delved into the case, highlighting the gravity of the situation and the impact it had on the community.
“Love your face.”
Upon returning home, the busy couple resumed their daily routine that kept them going. George Brauchler noted that Jim and Angela would exercise together in the morning, with Jim even preparing a protein shake for his wife as part of their usual routine. This simple gesture was just a normal part of their day.
A text exchange between James Craig and Angela revealed that she was not feeling hungry and would eat something at home. However, within 24 hours, Angela’s symptoms returned rapidly and intensely, prompting her to return to Parker Adventist Hospital where she would be admitted.
Despite the efforts of doctors and nurses conducting tests, they could not determine the cause of Angela’s illness. The medical staff’s attempts seemed futile, leaving them puzzled by the mysterious illness.
As Angela remained ill, she returned to Parker Adventist Hospital in March 2023 as an admitted patient. Text messages between Angela and James during her hospital stay showed his care and concern for her well-being.
The situation took a dark turn when Aurora police charged James Craig with murder, citing evidence from a 52-page arrest warrant. The warrant detailed how James seemingly supported his wife during her hospitalization, balancing care for her and their children while continuing to work.
Despite James’ outward support, Angela’s symptoms persisted, leaving doctors baffled by her condition. As James communicated with friends and colleagues, including fellow dentist Ryan Redfearn and his wife Michelle, the situation remained unclear. The texts exchanged among them reflected concerns for Angela’s health and the ongoing mystery surrounding her illness.
When discussing blood pressure, concerns were raised by doctors regarding symptoms that should have resolved by now. However, a text message from James Craig seemed unusual in retrospect, as he appeared to be making light of Angela’s mysterious illness. Steffan Tubbs reported that Craig texted Michelle Redfearn, joking that solving the puzzle of the illness would be fun if it wasn’t his wife. Despite this, former DA Brauchler mentioned that making bad jokes during times of crisis is not uncommon, as everyone reacts differently to trauma.
James Craig seemed worried as it had been four hectic days since Angela was admitted to the hospital. He reportedly told others that he stayed by Angela’s side, sleeping on a stool on the night her vital signs crashed, with doctors responding throughout the night. Despite the uncertainty, Angela seemed to stabilize over the following day and was discharged on March 14 from Parker Adventist hospital without a diagnosis. However, her condition worsened, and she was readmitted to University Hospital on March 15 with James by her side.
While at the hospital, James left briefly to go home but returned with food, only to witness Angela having a seizure shortly after his arrival. Medical staff worked to save her life, but Angela had to be put on life support as her condition deteriorated. Doctors were struggling to understand the cause of her illness, not knowing that a package containing potassium cyanide had arrived at James Craig’s office days earlier. The discovery of this package would become a crucial piece of evidence in the case.
As Angela fought for her life on life support, James Craig shared photos and updates with Michelle Redfearn, expressing concern as doctors worked to save her. The couple rushed to the hospital, where Ryan Redfearn observed James breaking down after speaking to doctors about Angela’s prognosis. However, Ryan received a call on the way to the hospital about the suspicious package marked “potassium cyanide” that had been delivered to James Craig’s dental office. This led to doubts about James Craig’s true emotions during the crisis.
Raindrops were falling one after another as Ryan Redfearn took the lead. George Brauchler remarked, “He does what any normal person would do.” According to police reports, while Angela Craig was on life support, Ryan Redfearn informed a nurse that James Craig had recently ordered Potassium Cyanide without any medical necessity for a dental practice. The nurse, as a mandatory reporter, promptly contacted Aurora police. Within a few hours, a member of the homicide unit arrived at University Hospital to investigate. During questioning, Ryan received a call from James’s personal cell phone. James inquired if Ryan had disclosed anything to hospital staff, to which Ryan confirmed and mentioned knowing about the suspicious order. James explained that the package was a ring for Angela as a surprise, but Ryan insisted they were aware of its contents. This marked a pivotal moment in their decades-long friendship, culminating in a text exchange where James urged Ryan not to cooperate with law enforcement to avoid further implications for his family. Despite the plea, police had already initiated an investigation, leading to Angela’s tragic death when she was taken off life support. James Craig was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, though he pleaded not guilty. The investigation uncovered Angela’s cause of death from lethal concentrations of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, along with toxic levels of arsenic in her blood. The warrant revealed James’s sinister intentions, including setting up a secret email account to research various poisons. Angela’s suffering was prolonged and agonizing, underscoring the heinous nature of the crime. James Craig’s arrest and subsequent legal proceedings shed light on a chilling betrayal within a once close-knit circle.
Investigators believe that James Craig planned to murder Angela Craig. A Google search for information on how much pure arsenic would be lethal to a human led them to suspect him. Additionally, investigators found online videos with titles such as “Top 5 Undetectable Poisons That Show No Sign Of Foul Play” in James Craig’s browsing history. On the same day as this online research, James Craig purchased arsenic and had it delivered to his family’s mailbox. Prosecutors suggest that James Craig intended to poison his wife, have her cremated, and move on with his life.
Poison is often considered a method for committing the perfect crime due to its silent and invisible nature. Doctors may struggle to detect poison in a patient. Dr. Jeff LaPoint, an expert in medical toxicology, highlighted the symptoms of arsenic poisoning based on Angela Craig’s hospital visits. He also explained the deadly effects of oleandrin and potassium cyanide, two other poisons that James Craig allegedly tried to acquire.
James Craig, using an alias, attempted to purchase oleandrin after the arsenic, but the delivery did not go through. Subsequently, he ordered potassium cyanide from a medical supply company, claiming it was needed for a dental procedure. Dr. LaPoint emphasized the potency of cyanide and the swift fatality it causes once ingested.
The accumulation of multiple deadly poisons by James Craig raised suspicions among investigators. Although James Craig offered a different explanation for acquiring these substances, authorities believed that his intentions were sinister. The potential motive for his actions, including the purchase of lethal poisons, is still under investigation.
James Craig was suspected of plotting to harm his wife, but investigators were curious about his motives. Their search led them to a connection made by James Craig miles away from Aurora with a woman named Karin Cain just before his wife, Angela Craig, fell ill. Steffan Tubbs speculated on the possibility of another woman being involved in the situation, a common theme in such cases. As James Craig and Karin Cain met at a dental conference in Las Vegas, a relationship quickly blossomed. Despite Cain flying to Colorado to meet with James and exchanging flirtatious messages, she denied any involvement in the alleged crime. Defense attorney Skye Lazaro pointed out the lack of evidence linking Cain to James’s suspected actions. Although Cain was aware of Angela’s illness, there was no indication that she knew about James’s intentions. James had misled Cain about his marital status, claiming he was going through a divorce. The investigation revealed financial struggles at James’s dental practice, adding a new layer to the case. As the story unfolded, the once-pristine image of James Craig as a loving husband and devoted church member came under scrutiny. The possible motives behind Angela’s tragic death continued to be explored, including the financial difficulties faced by James’s business.
Natalie Morales: He was deeply in debt, right?
George Brauchler: Yes, he was in over his head.
During a preliminary hearing in 2023, prosecutors claimed that James Craig had a motive to kill his wife, Angela Craig, pointing to the $3.4 million life insurance payout she had. George Brauchler explained that James had financial liabilities exceeding $2 million, as evidenced in bankruptcy filings.
Despite these financial struggles, Skye Lazaro is skeptical that they directly connect to a motive for murder. Natalie Morales questioned if this indicated desperation, to which Skye Lazaro replied that bankruptcy is common for businesses and does not necessarily imply desperation.
Regarding the purchase of poisons, Lazaro clarified that it might not have been illegal for James Craig to acquire them due to his DEA certification. Natalie Morales suggested that possessing the poisons wasn’t a crime, but administering them would be. The arrest report suggested James might have poisoned his wife by adding cyanide to her protein shake, a part of their morning routine.
George Brauchler explained that cyanide is tasteless, odorless, and lethal, making it easy to conceal in a shake. However, Lazaro countered that there was no evidence linking James to poisoning his wife after reviewing the preliminary hearing transcripts, as no traces of poison were found in the house.
Lazaro also highlighted James Craig’s caring text messages to Angela as evidence of his affectionate nature. As the defense argued against the poisoning accusations, the focus shifted to an alternative theory: that Angela’s death might have been a result of suicide rather than murder.
According to a podcast by Steffan Tubbs, James Craig claimed that Angela had requested the cyanide as part of a dare or game of “chicken” involving suicide threats. However, Angela’s family members did not report any suicidal tendencies from her to the police. Lazaro suggested that James might have been seeking cyanide not to harm Angela but as a means to harm himself.
During a preliminary hearing in 2023, James Craig’s defense team revealed that he had confided in a friend about his own suicidal thoughts, not Angela. They stated that James had mentioned plans to end his life using untraceable means. The defense highlighted James’s history of depression and past counseling sessions. Additionally, they mentioned an incident where James admitted to drugging Angela years ago during a suicide attempt, hoping she wouldn’t interfere while he took his own life.
There was a text exchange between James and Angela where she felt drugged, and James denied being responsible due to their complicated history. The defense argued that this conversation supported James’s struggles with depression and suicide attempts. Despite this, it is unlikely that the defense would suggest to the jury that both James and Angela were attempting suicide simultaneously.
Authorities found evidence of increased cyanide levels in Angela’s body while she was hospitalized, raising suspicions of further poisoning by James. The defense hired a toxicologist to support James’s innocence, implying that he might be portrayed as a victim of a rushed investigation by overly eager law enforcement.
While the case revolves around poisoning as a potential murder method, toxicologist Dr. Jeff LaPoint emphasized that such crimes are traceable, and perpetrators are likely to be caught. Angela’s loved ones are left to await justice, reminiscing through photographs and memories as they cope with the loss of a mother and friend.
Expressing the heartache felt by my siblings and me every day. “Chelsea Otoya: There’s no words, you know? … the whole situation is just traumatic. Steffan Tubbs: This will all end, the lights will come down, the cameras leave. Thirty years from now, those kids who are in their teens right now still will be without a mom. Mira’s last words in that post: “I love you so much mama” … “we miss you.” In November 2024, prosecutors charged Jim Craig with soliciting the murder of one of the detectives on his case. Soon after this, Craig’s attorney asked to be released from the case, citing a rule that allows attorneys to quit when they consider a client’s behavior to be “repugnant.” No new trial date has been set. “48 HOURS” POST MORTEM PODCAST Host Anne-Marie Green, Natalie Morales and “48 Hours” producer Sarah Prior go behind the scenes, discussing how James Craig used his license to order potassium cyanide, the suspicious “jimandwaffles” email address he created just weeks before his wife’s death, and arguments the prosecution and defense might make when the case goes on trial. Produced by Jamie Stolz and Sarah Prior. Elena DiFiore, David Dow and Michelle Sigona are the development producers. Doreen Schechter is the producer-editor. Gary Winter and Gregory Kaplan are the editors. Michael Loftus is the associate producer. Patti Aronofsky is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. Judy Tygard is the executive producer. Tiger Bech’s family on his final moments after New Orleans attack ATF head warns that the Trump administration’s funding cut plans could risk lives Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum director on his life, impact.
