Who Poisoned Angela Craig? | Full Episode | Forensic Files

[Music] this is a story that has obviously shaken Colorado it's stunned the world a Colorado dentist accused of
poisoning his wife's protein shakes was charged today with her murder you have got to be effing kidding me that guy was
my dentist hi I'm Dr Jim Craig you just don't see stories like this maybe in a Hollywood bad script 45-year-old James
Craig is accused of putting Arsenic and cyanide in her protein shakes he's allegedly ordering potassium Cyanide and
arsenic online you have got to be kidding me Jim and Angela Craig seemingly had everything successful dental practice
beautiful large family they seemingly to me were in love investigators say he researched poisons in the days leading
up to his wife's death I couldn't believe the allegations I couldn't believe the story I couldn't believe the
mug shot there's my dentist a mugot good afternoon Colorado I'm stepan tubs I'm a
talk show host here in Denver late breaking news this after I was told by several people you got to do a podcast
on this people want to know so we started a podcast called arsenic DDS welcome to the first episode
of this like the truth another new development at like to know why Jim Craig is an
innocent man until proven guilty if the allegations are true why did my former dentist kill his wife her symptoms
dizziness blurred vision headache slowed responsiveness what does that tell you yeah that's really
worrisome I'm Dr Jeff Le Point I'm a Emergency Physician and toxicologist arsonic will be absorbed
very rapidly and you would probably start getting sick pretty quick what about potassium cyanide cyanide is one
of the most effective poisons you're being suffocated on a cellular level Angela Craig is getting sicker and
sicker and sicker and sicker and she'd she'd quickly be declared brain dead Dr Jim
Craig is accused of premeditated first-degree murder in the poisoning death of his wife
Angela there does seem like there's substantial evidence in the case the arrest warrant was 52 pages long I'm
Skyla zyro I'm a criminal defense lawyer the spouse is a very easy target he's entered a plea of not guilty maybe he's
the most convenient person to look at if I'm the defense on this you go after the
state and you say you didn't go look at things you should have looked at he administered alleged ly the poison via
her protein shakes the state hasn't presented you any evidence that the poison was actually in the drink you
can't show that he did it I wouldn't say this is a slam dunk case there's no motive here what is the
[Music] motive [Music] [Music] under that vast Rocky Mountain Sky on March 18th 2023 in the Denver suburb of
Aurora Angela Craig died just Days Later former radio personality Stephan tubs began his
podcast about The Sensational case and the unimaginable news I want to personally send our condolences to the
friends and family of Angela Craig just 43 years old she passed away declared brain dead and not lost on me is the
fact that this family has been temporarily destroyed Jim Craig had been almost immediately charged with the
first-degree murder of his wife Angela he has pleaded not guilty the story of the dentist his wife and the allegedly
poisoned shakes would be told around the world come on a dentist allegedly ordering potassium
Cyanide and arsenic really but it was all as painfully real as a dentist [Music]
drill Dr Craig and Angela Craig were just like two peas in a pod the two of them in the office was cute cuz they
would play pranks on each other all day on Chelsea at Toya got to know Jim and Angela when she worked for Dr Craig at
Summerbrook Dental they seemed like the perfect couple until according to Colorado cops James took his shot at the
Perfect Crime investigators say he researched poisons in the days leading up to his wife's death the idea that the
dentist stood accused of murdering Angela his wife of 23 years seemed incomprehensible because the Craigs
seemed so close it just was heartbreaking for everyone and I felt bad my name is Dr Jim Craig and I
practice at Summerbrook Dental Group coming up on our left the former home of Summerbrook Dental is it this one over
here it's that one right there for tubs this office building once home to Summerbrook has become a tragic
Touchstone the last time that I had eye contact with Dr Jim Craig he gave me a root canal
I thought he was a great guy I got incredibly competent friendly care he was a family man we talked about
his family his kids I I met his wife Angela was the heart and soul of that family mother to their six children
and a Hands-On partner in what seemed like a thriving business she was not somebody just to sit there and and stay
quiet she was engaged in the the dental practice she was somebody who was talking about ideas and their marketing
their message tubs helped refine that message working on some of Summer Brook's advertising he witnessed how
those two P's in a pod work side by side with Angela pitching in as one of Jim's
office managers I thought it was kind of cool you know you've got a husband and wife huge family I thought it was it was
great to see a small Colorado business operated by by you know husband and wife Welcome to our third edition of
this podcast tub's podcast would delve into the disturbing details of Angela's medical Journey how and why she was
allegedly murdered that account from police is contained in this 52 page arrest warrant in nearly 34 years of
being a newsman the most unbelievable and seemingly thorough arrest affidavit I have ever read the warrant alleges
that James has shown the planning and intent to end his wife's Life by searching for ways to kill someone
undetected this was not the James Craig that I knew Dentistry can be expensive Dentistry can be scary Dentistry can be
uncomfortable the James Craig Aurora knew was on display that March 6 2023 the day Angela's Odyssey began Jim
was at Summerbrook when Angela texted from home my eyes don't want to focus she texted I feel
drugged and Jim headed right home he picked up Angela and drove to the ER at Parker Adventist Hospital she
reported feeling dizzy and weak doctors fast went to work she ends up going into
the hospital first time was March 6 is that correct that's right March 6 was her first time into the hospital at the
time George Brock was another force in Colorado talk radio this is the George show I'll be he is also the former
elected district attorney for aaho County where Angela lived and would die rattling this community this is a huge
story like Stephan tubs brockler has immersed himself in the details of Angela's Final Days A desperate twoe
ordeal but on that March 6th as the hours passed in the ER there were lots of questions but few answers they really
didn't have a good answer for what she was going through and they end up uh releasing her and sending her
home home where Angela appeared to think she was safe in her marriage at least that's how she sounded in messages the
couple sent each other with Angela now home recuperating from her ER visit there were texts that would suggest a
very supportive loving relationship Jim texts I love you it was so nice hanging out with you and just watching a show
and snuggling Angela texts Jim hi Baby I love your face back home the busy couple picked up
the daily routine that sustained them Jim and Angela apparently worked out in the morning they worked out together and
one of the things that Jim did for his wife was to prepare her a protein shake it was an absolute routine this was just
part of the normal day Jim texts I'll need to ask what you're hungry for and bring it to you you I'm kind of feeling
just a smoothie or something I'm not feeling anything Angela replies don't bring anything I'll eat something
here within 24 hours Angela's symptoms came back fast and strong she headed back to Parker Adventist this time she
would be admitted the doctors and nurses are trying they're conducting tests they
just cannot figure out what is ailing this relatively normal and healthy 43y old
woman all of the steps that the doctors and medical staff had taken seemed to not be
working was a real [Music] mystery there was nothing that would be even remotely a red flag or this is a rocky
troubled marriage none of that at all with Angela still terribly sick in March of 2023 she was back at Parker
Adventist a second time now as an admitted patient according to the warrant during her stay Angela texted
her husband Jim now I'm hungry and he texted back later that he was bringing food writing okay I got you of the
loving husband who wants to see his wife remain healthy that arrest warrant contains numerous texts detailing how as
Angela was hospitalized Jim went back and forth from their home to her bedside to Summerbrook a husband seemingly
supporting his wife and caring for their kids he's continuing to go to work and I
don't begrudge him for that he's got a family of six kids and the warrant would show that
apparent trust that Angela placed in Jim how she reached out to him to share her
symptoms texting I'm cold super tired weak shaky and dizzy and Jim sent compassionate text to
Angela I love you and miss you and I'm so worried I wish you were healthy enough to come home tonight and snuggle
me Angela Craig was so sick it seemed that all her symptoms had returned she had horrible headaches
horrible nausea she was dizzy and doctors were at a loss we struggling to figure out what
in the hell is causing this what is making her sick and they just could not get an
answer as Angela stayed in the hospital without a diagnosis Jim Craig was in touch with
his friends Michelle and Ryan Redfern a fellow dentist Ryan had recently become business partners with Jim he would
later tell police Ryan Redfern went to dental school with Jim Craig all those 20 plus years ago he'd known him all
that time he was a close Confidant and with Angela so sick according to the warrant Jim also texted with Ryan's wife
Michelle Redfern train as a nurse what were they texting about the texts were really the kinds of things you would
exchange with someone who's another Medical Professional I mean he was talking about blood pressure he was
talking about concerns that doctors had expressed about symptomology that should
have resolved by now but one of Jim's texts in retrospect seemed Odd as it appeared he was making light of Angela's
mysterious illness Jim Craig texts Michelle Redfern quote if it wasn't my wife this would be kind of a fun puzzle to
try to work out exclamation point who says that still a bad joke in times of Crisis
isn't unusual says former da brockler everybody reacts to trauma differently and James Craig seemed worried it had
been four hectic days since Angela was admitted 1:00 a.m. in the desolate Hospital
corridors police say Jim told others he was sleeping on a stool next to Angela when her Vital Signs
crashed doctors responded through the night I have thought about every agonizing minute that Angela Craig was
in [Music] but over the next day Angela seemed to stabilize and on March 14th still with
no answers as to why she was sick Angela was released from Parker for a second time once again Angela came home to her
husband of 23 years but she wouldn't be home for long within a day she started feeling sick
again so on March 15th she was admitted to nearby University Hospital there would be more tubes and
tests and monitors Jim was soon by her side they had no idea what was wrong with
her police say Jim didn't stay long at first within half an hour he drove home from the
hospital then about an hour and a half later he returned carrying food cops say he then went into Angela's
room alone soon after Angela had a seizure and once again her Vital Signs crashed
it was critical Jim Craig took these photos of Angela as Hospital staff tried to save
her Angela once so fully of life was put on life support what medical staff didn't know
at the time was that days earlier a package had reportedly arrived at Jim Craig's
office authorities say what was in the package ordered by Jim Craig himself would become key evidence in this case
Craig allegedly told a staff member that he would be receiving a personal package
and not to open it Jim Craig said don't open this package somebody did she sees the words
potassium cyanide why are we getting potassium cyanide to a Colorado dentist's office
Angela Craig was on life support fighting to survive Jim Craig texted the photos he
took to Michelle Redfern writing crash intubated doc says she's very very worried Michelle and Ryan raced to the
hospital Ryan would later tell police he watched as Jim Craig broke down he saw Craig crying after speaking to doctors
about Angela's prognosis yep he did say he saw him crying afterwards but according to police Ryan Redfern was far
from convinced those tears were real that's because on his way to the hospital he had gotten a call from a
staff member at the office the call was to alert Redfern about that package marked pottassium cyanide that had
arrived at Summerbrook Dental allegedly addressed and later given to Jim Craig and there's The Dominoes that are now
folling one after the other Ryan Redfern led the way he does what any other normal person would do according to
police while Angela was on life support Ryan tells a nurse that Jim Craig recently ordered pottassium
cyanide adding that there was no medical reason or purpose to order potassium cyanide for a dental practice the nurse
being a mandatory reporter calls Aurora Police and I mean it's like that within 5 hours probably even less there is a
member of the homicide unit with Aurora PD at University Hospital cops started asking questions then according to the
warrant Ryan received a call from James personal cell phone tell me about that phone call I think Ryan and his wife are
in the parking lot of the hospital when Jim calls them according to police Jim asked Ryan if he had said anything to
the hospital staff Ryan confirmed that he had and told Jim that he knew what Jim had ordered and Jim replied that the
package was a ring for Angela and that he wanted to surprise her and Ryan says it's not a ring we know what was in
there I mean this is a testament to Ryan Redford a decades long friendship was about to be tested then
shattered this Tale was once again told in a text revealed in that warrant as the next morning James Craig pleaded
with his pal and partner texting in part I want to make an urgent plea to you please don't talk to anyone including
any law enforcement officers you are under no obligation to answer their questions unless you are served as
subpoena and you will do more damage than good to my family by continuing to insert yourself into
this how damning is that text in itself I'm trying to think of all the innocent applications of the phrase please don't
talk to the police I can't come up with any it's a desperate effort to try to keep Ryan from cooperating any farther
with law enforcement but if that's what he was trying to do it was too late police had already launched their
[Music] investigation on March 18th 2023 Angela was taking off life support friend wife mother of six Angela
Craig was [Music] dead I was in complete shock and complete disbelief in my head I'm like
this is crazy it's not true I thought maybe it was an accident but investigators didn't think
so just hours after Angela died Dr James Craig would be arrested and charged with
the first-degree murder of his wife Angela there's my dentist a mug shot James Craig would plead not
guilty months later Angela's autopsy would be released that autopsy States Angela died from a lethal concentration
of Cyanide and a lethal concentration of tetra hydrosaline the chemical found in
some ey drops and it says that Angela had toxic concentrations of arsenic in her blood in those two earlier hospital
visits to think about what Angela Craig endured this woman was in agony dying for so long just a week before
Angela got sick according to the warrant Jim Craig said up a new email account using the Alias Jim and waffles and used
it to research multiple poisons all part of his plan according to investigators to murder Angela one particular Google
search how many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human Craig investigators say also found
these videos popular for many reasons we have cyanide with titles like top five undetect able poisons that show no sign
of Foul Play arsenic is virtually undetectable and police say on the same day he did that online research James
Craig made a purchase arsenic and had it delivered straight to his family's mailbox I think he legitimately believed
that he would be able to poison his wife she would die he would have her cremated
and then they'd move on poison some call it the recipe for a perfect crime a silent Invisible Killer no blood no gun
no fingerprints even doctors can have a hard time spotting it it's a pretty rare
medical sub specialty Dr Jeff Lao is the director of the division of medical toxicology at San Diego's Kaiser
Permanente Hospital if it's a poison or a Venom that's what we specialize you're
that guy yeah so we asked him and Dr Leo focused in on the alleged actions of James Craig and the final days of
Angela's life he reviewed the arrest warrant for us and some of the deadly drugs it lists let's start with arsenic
okay um yeah arsenic is a very famous poison it's uh not detectable by taste or odor Dr La Point says Angela's
symptoms in those first two hospital visits are consistent with arsenic poisoning nause and vomiting lower blood
pressure higher blood pressure generally lower how much would kill a person it does not take very much but police say
there was more a week after he purchased that arsenic they alleged Craig as Jim and Waffles went back online he ordered
a second poison beguiling and beautiful oleandrin what is that so oleandrin is a
toxin found in Oleander I'm thinking of those white flowers yeah they're really beautiful yeah as lovely as a rose only
deadly it prevents the heart from beating very efficiently but after 3 days the oleandrin hadn't
been delivered that's when investigators say Jim Craig up the ante cops say he placed this order with the medical
supply company for his strongest toxin yet pottassium cyanide Sinai is one of the most
effective poisons that exist just a micro do could kill you then yeah a very small amount per kilogram and you're
you're not going to live when you are Poisoned With cide you're being suffocated on a cellular
level it's a very potent poison your victim would die very rapidly cyanide is so deadly that you
need a medical license to buy it my name is Dr Jim Craig and and police say that
when Dr James Craig placed his order from a medical supply company he stated he needed it for a complex dental
procedure there's no use for potassium cide in my practice or I can't think of uh many medical practices so a dentist
ordering arsenic pottassium Cyanide and oleandrin what does that suggest to you someone who's trying to collect
poison but this father and husband would offer a very different story about why he wanted those deadly
poisons what do you make of Ryan red Fern's Choice chat now with the 48 Hours team on Facebook andex
[Music] detectives suspected Jim Craig had bought all those poisons to kill his wife but they wanted to know why they
would find a lead miles away from Aurora on a trip Jim Craig made and a woman he
met just before Angela got sick doesn't it just always seem like there's another
woman involved always almost always what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas it's a rule of the road there but
investigators allege it is yet one more rule James Craig didn't think he had to play by when he met Karen Kane Karen
Kane an orthodontist from Austin Texas she meets Jim Craig at a dental conference in Las
Vegas it was February 23rd a week and a half before Angela Craig first went to the hospital the doctor
was traveling alone and he rolled the dice they strike up a relationship they hit it off it's a
whirlwind a few weeks later according to the warrant Karen Kane would fly to Colorado and rendevu in this hotel with
James Craig he would use that newly created email Jim and Waffles to flirt with her it's not illegal to have a
Affairs Sky Lazaro is an experienced defense attorney familiar with cases involving poison James Craig and his
attorney declined our request for an interview Lazaro reviewed the case against Jim Craig for 48 hours and she
identified potential weaknesses is it reasonable that that you would kill your wife to be with someone that you had had
a 10-day relationship with the common defense strategy is Affairs do not make a murderer right one doesn't
automatically mean you did the other at the time she visited Jim in Colorado Karen Kane did seem to know
Angela was very sick and in the hospital in fact she had sent a concerned email to Jim it read in part hi honey I am so
sorry for what has transpired this week in your world I am praying for you and seeking God's wisdom for this time I
love you but there is no evidence to suggest Karen Kane knew anything more nothing that I have seen gives any
indication that she knew that Jim was trying to kill his wife and according to investigators Jim
Craig lied to Karen telling her that he filed for divorce and was living separate in an apartment he gives the
standard male typical I'm going through a divorce no he's not and a detective said she told them
her relationship with Jim was intimate but not sexual Karen Kane sent 48 Hours an email writing I had absolutely
nothing to do with this horrific crime and my heart is absolutely broken for Angela Craig and her family and she says
she is cooperating fully with the police and prosecution Karen Kane met the wrong guy
at the wrong time she didn't know anything tubs and brockler imply maybe no one knew anything about who Jim Craig
really was his pristine image loving parent church member dedicated husband now all being questioned and as cops
continue to investigate another possible motive emerged one of the things that surprised me in this story is the
Financial duress that Summer Brook DL was under in fact Jim Craig's business had
filed for bankruptcy in 2020 shortly after his then friend Ryan Redfern signed on as a partner financial
problems financial problems he was way in over his head then in debt way in over his
head and at a preliminary hearing in 2023 prosecutors argued that Jim Craig had about three .4 million reasons to
kill his wife the value of Angela's life insurance Jim had liabilities in excess
of $2 million and we know that from some of the bankruptcy filings but Lazaro says she's not convinced those financial
problems give James Craig a motive for murder is this sort of the the portrait of a desperate man not necessarily we
see businesses go through bankruptcy all the time and come out the other side and as for any poisons he may have
ordered Lazaro States those purchases may not even be illegal he can legitimately purchase it cuz he has a
DEA number as a doctor as a dentist right right having it isn't murder mhm administering it
right but according to the arrest paperwork Jim Craig might have thought he had that figured out too authorities
say he could have slipped the poison into one of those protein shakes he so often made the morning routine at home
for example yeah on that morning of March 15th the day Angela Craig would finally crash
before she was taken to the hospital she was home with Jim investigators say that's when he may have made her one of
those protein shakes and laced it with potassium cyanide it is tasteless it is odorless it is colorless it is really
hideable inside something like a shake and highly lethal that's highly lethal but attorney Lazaro counters the
evidence may not be there she has reviewed the transcripts from that July 2023 preliminary hearing and says
there's nothing there that shows Jim Craig put poison in Angela's shakes they went and tested everything in the house
and didn't find any trace evidence of there being arsenic or cyanide or anything in the
protein powder in the protein bottles the state hasn't presented you any evidence that the poison was actually in
the drink and Lazaro says the defense can paint a picture of Jim Craig as a kind
and attentive partner Jim's text messages to Angela are extremely loving and extremely caring he repeatedly asks
her how she's doing he tells her he loves her so if Jim Craig didn't poison his wife who did
Craig had a story to tell about that go behind the scenes with the 48 Hours postmortem
podcast welcome to the first episode of as stefen tubs reported on his podcast there may be another story to tell about
Jim Craig and what happened to Angela the story wasn't about murder it was about suicide Craig says to the business
partner on the phone she was just playing chicken according to the warrant when Ryan Redfern confronted Jim about the
cyanide Jim allegedly said that Angela asked him to order it for her that it was all a dare kind of a deadly game of
chicken According to Jim Craig she's been threatening suicide and this game of chicken is now
are you going to are you going to take it but according to that 52-page warrant none of Angela's family members told
police she was suicidal a more likely argument for the defense says attorney Lazaro is that Jim Craig had been
looking for Cyanide not to kill Angela but to kill himself there was some statements that he in fact was suicidal
not her at that preliminary hearing in 2023 Jim Craig's defense team said Jim had spoken to a friend about his own
past plans to die by Suicide and that Dr Craig had made a statement to that friend that he was going to die by
Suicide with something that was not traceable the defense pointed out that Jim suffered from depression and went to
counseling in the past and as the defense indicated Jim told Angela at one point that he had
actually drugged her years earlier when he had tried to kill himself hoping that
while she was drugged she wouldn't be able to stop him it sounds like there had been something that he had tried
before with her mhm that he had drugged her so that she would fall asleep so that he could go essentially kill
himself and she wouldn't be there to render any Aid or call for help and remember when Angela first
started feeling sick and she texted Jim I feel drugged Craig's defense points out that he texted back given our
history I know that must be triggering just for the record I didn't drug you the defense said this text supports the
story of Jim Craig's past depression and suicide attempts but Lazaro says it's unlikely
the defense would try to tell a jury that Jim and Angela were both trying to die by Suicide you have to pick one at
some point and it's either she's suicidal or that he's suicidal and this is why he bought the
drugs but perhaps the most compelling evidence authorities say they have is what Angela Craig left behind in her own
blood that autopsy revealed something investigators find remarkable the levels of cyanide in Angela's body actually
increased while she was in the hospital on that final day the possible implication tubs wonders if prosecutors
will contend Craig gave his wife more poison in the hospital if the allegations are true this is about as
cruel as it gets period Jim Craig's defense has hired its own toxicologist and and come his trial
for murder Sky Lazaro says Jim Craig innocent until proven guilty May himself be portrayed as a victim of cops too
eager to make a fast arrest it's essentially a three-day investigation Jim Craig's quick arrest she says could
be a weakness for the state you decided from the get-go that this had to be poisoning this was the foregone
conclusion so you never went and looked for anything else and as for that idea that poison might
be the key to someone trying to commit the perfect crime toxicologist Dr Jeff Leo says that is just plain wrong you're
going to get caught that's an important message yeah very there are ways that these will be traced and you will be
found you'll be [Music] found and while Angela's friends and family are waiting for their day in
court they are left with photographs and their memories three of Jim and Angela's six
children are living with Jim Craig's brother the other three are now adults living on their own including their
daughter merera on Mother's Day 2023 merera wrote this on social media as of tomorrow my mom will be 2 months gone I
haven't the words to express the heartache my siblings and I feel every day there's no words you
know the whole situation is just traumatic this will all end the lights will come down the cameras leave 30
years from now those kids who were in their teens right now still will be without a
mom mera's last words in that Poe I love you so much Mama we miss [Music] [Music]
you need more time with 48 Hours go deep behind every True Crime episode with firsthand accounts from 48 Hours
investigations were you at all prepared for what happened in this case shock is the word that comes to mind get inside
the twists and turns and get in on the cage listen to postmortem from 48 hours now available wherever you get your
[Music] podcasts

A mother of six becomes deathly ill with unusual symptoms. Investigators suspect she was murdered with a poisoned protein shake."48 Hours" contributor Natalie Morales reports. Watch more full episodes of "48 Hours" on Pluto TV.

Case update: On July 30, 2025, a jury found James Craig guilty of murdering his wife Angela Craig. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

True crime. Real justice. "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. "48 Hours," which premiered in 1988, has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives.

For video licensing inquiries, contact: licensing@veritone.com

Brief Summary

James Craig, a dentist, is accused of murdering his wife Angela with poison in her protein shakes, raising shocking questions about their marriage and motives.

Key points

Dentist Charged with Murder. A Colorado dentist, James Craig, is accused of poisoning his wife, Angela, with toxic substances.
The Mystery of Angela's Illness. Angela Craig's sudden illness and death raise questions about her husband's involvement.
A Shocking Transformation. James Craig, once a trusted dentist, is now accused of premeditated murder.
The Poisonous Affair. Jim Craig's relationship with Karen Kane raises questions about his motives for ordering poison.
Financial Motives. Jim Craig had financial troubles that could suggest a motive for murder.
The Final Days. Angela's health deteriorated suspiciously, leading to questions about Jim's actions.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

What is the motive?

Questioning the reasoning behind the alleged crime.

3:18WatchMar 29, 2024

Tension

85/ 100High tension

More from 48 Hours

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.