The Poisoning of Angela Craig

Summary

Episode Summary: "The Poisoning of Angela Craig"

Podcast Information:

• Title: 48 Hours
• Host/Author: CBS News
• Episode: The Poisoning of Angela Craig
• Release Date: August 1, 2025

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Introduction to the Case

In the episode titled "The Poisoning of Angela Craig," CBS News' award-winning correspondents delve into a chilling crime that shook Colorado and captivated the nation. The story revolves around James Craig, a 45-year-old dentist from Aurora, Colorado, who stands accused of murdering his wife, Angela Craig, by lacing her protein shakes with lethal poisons—arsenic and potassium cyanide.

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The Unfolding of a Tragedy

Initial Symptoms and Emergency Visits

On March 6, 2023, Angela Craig, a vibrant 43-year-old mother of six, began experiencing severe symptoms—dizziness, blurred vision, headaches, and slowed responsiveness. Concerned, she contacted her husband, Jim Craig, who promptly took her to Parker Adventist Hospital. Despite the immediate attention, the medical team struggled to diagnose her condition, leading to her discharge. However, within 24 hours, Angela's symptoms resurfaced, necessitating a second hospitalization.

Ryan Redfern (00:20): "All I need is a backpack and a pair of shoes and I'll find a way I'm able to do anything I set my mind to."

The Turning Point

During Angela's second hospital stay at University Hospital, her condition deteriorated rapidly. Jim Craig's actions during this critical period became a focal point of the investigation. While Angela fought for her life, Jim maintained consistent communication with friends and colleagues, raising suspicions about his behavior.

Stephen Tubbs (07:13): "Angela was the heart and soul of that family, to their six children and a hands-on partner in what seemed like a thriving business."

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The Investigation Deepens

Discovery of Poisoning Evidence

Authorities uncovered that James Craig had meticulously planned the poisoning. Weeks before Angela fell ill, Jim had established a new email account under the alias "Jim and Waffles" to research various poisons. His online activities included searches like "How many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human?" and viewing videos titled "Top 5 Undetectable Poisons that show no sign of foul play."

Ryan Redfern (15:09): "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."

Jim proceeded to order arsenic, oleandrin (a toxin found in oleander plants), and potassium cyanide from a medical supply company, claiming they were for complex dental procedures—a claim experts argue is unfounded.

Dr. Jeff Lapointe (25:54): "Cyanide's one of the most effective poisons that exists. You're being suffocated on a cellular level."

The Role of Friends and Colleagues

Jim's close friend and business partner, Ryan Redfern, became pivotal in unraveling the case. Redfern received alarming information about the purchase of potassium cyanide and reported it to the authorities. This timely intervention expedited the investigation, leading to Jim Craig's arrest on March 18, 2023.

Sky Lazaro (03:34): "The state hasn't presented you any evidence that the poison was actually in the drink. You can't show that he did it."

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Defense vs. Prosecution: The Battle of Perspectives

Prosecution's Case

The prosecution presented a compelling narrative of premeditation and intent. They highlighted Jim Craig's extensive research on poisons, the timing of his purchases, and his interactions during Angela's hospitalizations. The autopsy report confirmed lethal concentrations of cyanide and arsenic in Angela's system, solidifying the case against Jim.

Stephen Tubbs (24:17): "Jim Craig's quick arrest, she says, could be a weakness for the state."

Defense's Counterarguments

Jim Craig's defense team, led by criminal defense lawyer Sky Lazaro, contested the prosecution's claims by presenting alternative motives and questioning the evidence's validity. They posited that Jim suffered from depression and had contemplated suicide, suggesting that his actions might have been a misguided attempt to end his own life rather than Angela's.

Lazaro emphasized the absence of direct evidence linking the poison in Angela's drink to Jim, pointing out that no trace of arsenic or cyanide was found in the protein shakes.

Sky Lazaro (34:21): "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."

Additionally, the defense highlighted Jim's seemingly loving and supportive relationship with Angela, underscored by heartfelt text messages exchanged between them during her illness.

Sky Lazaro (35:32): "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."

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Alternative Theories and Motives

Financial Struggles and Pressure

Investigators uncovered that Jim Craig's dental practice, Summerbrook Dental, had filed for bankruptcy in 2020, accumulating over $2 million in liabilities. The prosecution suggested that financial desperation could have been a motivating factor for Jim to orchestrate his wife's murder, potentially benefiting from life insurance.

George Brockler (32:38): "One of the things that surprised me in this story is the financial duress that Summerbrook Dental was under."

However, Lazaro dismissed this as insufficient to establish a clear motive, arguing that businesses often recover from financial setbacks without resorting to criminal actions.

Sky Lazaro (33:39): "Not necessarily. We see businesses go through bankruptcy all the time and come out the other side."

Potential for Mental Health Issues

The defense suggested that Jim's actions might stem from his struggles with depression and previous suicide attempts. They proposed that Jim could have intended to poison himself, inadvertently harming Angela in the process.

Sky Lazaro (37:11): "There was some statements that he, in fact, was suicidal, not her."

This theory attempted to humanize Jim Craig, portraying him as a man grappling with inner demons rather than a calculated murderer.

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The Trial and Verdict

After months of intense legal battles, the case culminated on July 30, 2025. The jury, after reviewing the amassed evidence and testimonies, found James Craig guilty of the first-degree murder of his wife, Angela Craig. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Ryan Redfern (41:42): "Pluto TV is turning up the heat with thousands of free movies... Pluto TV stream now pay never."

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Impact and Reflections

The poisoning of Angela Craig serves as a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding domestic crimes and the thin veneer of normalcy that can mask underlying horrors. Angela's tragic death left her family shattered, with her six children grappling with the sudden loss of their mother.

Mira Craig (40:42): "As of tomorrow, my mom will be two months gone. I haven't the words to express the heartache my siblings and I feel every day."

Moreover, the case underscores the challenges in prosecuting poisoning cases, where subtlety and the insidious nature of toxins can obscure criminal intent. Dr. Jeff Lapointe emphasizes the fallacy of the "perfect crime," asserting that meticulous planning often unravels under scrutiny.

Dr. Jeff Lapointe (40:28): "There are ways that these will be traced and you will be found."

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Conclusion

"The Poisoning of Angela Craig" is a poignant exploration of betrayal, meticulous crime, and the quest for truth. Through gripping narratives, expert insights, and emotional testimonies, the episode encapsulates the devastating ripple effects of a heinous crime within a seemingly idyllic family setting. As the legal proceedings concluded, the community was left to mourn and reflect on the fragile nature of trust and the profound impact of such tragedies.

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Notable Quotes:

• Sky Lazaro (33:39): "Not necessarily. We see businesses go through bankruptcy all the time and come out the other side."

• Dr. Jeff Lapointe (25:54): "Cyanide's one of the most effective poisons that exists. You're being suffocated on a cellular level."

• Mira Craig (40:42): "As of tomorrow, my mom will be two months gone. I haven't the words to express the heartache my siblings and I feel every day."

• Ryan Redfern (35:51): "Karen Kane met the wrong guy at the wrong time. She didn't know anything."

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This detailed summary encapsulates the multifaceted nature of the Angela Craig poisoning case, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the events, investigations, and legal intricacies involved. Through expert analysis and personal accounts, "48 Hours" offers a profound narrative on crime, justice, and the enduring quest for closure.

Transcript

[Stephen Tubbs]

Possibility means you have a chance.

[George Brockler]

Passion opens the door to all possibilities.

[Stephen Tubbs]

When I feel like anything's possible, I feel kind of giddy. I want to be an astronaut, an artist, be an actress, to visit another country.

[Ryan Redfern]

All I need is a backpack and a pair of shoes and I'll find.

[Stephen Tubbs]

A way I'm able to do anything I set my mind to.

[Ryan Redfern]

I've never felt like more things are.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Possible than right now. In the right shoes, anything's possible. DSW, countless shoes at bragworthy prices. Imagine the possibilities. On WhatsApp, no one can see or hear your personal messages. Whether it's a voice call message or sending a password to WhatsApp, it's all just this. So whether you're sharing the streaming password in the family chat or trading those late night voice messages that could basically become a podcast, your personal messages stay between you, your friends and your family. No one else, not even us. WhatsApp message privately with everyone.

[Ryan Redfern]

This is a story that has obviously shaken Colorado. It's stunned the world.

[Stephen Tubbs]

A Colorado dentist accused of poisoning his wife's protein shakes was charged today with her murder. You.

[Ryan Redfern]

You have got to be effing kidding me. That guy was my dentist.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Hi, I'm Dr. Jim Craig.

[Ryan Redfern]

You just don't see stories like this. Maybe in a Hollywood bad script.

[Stephen Tubbs]

45 year old James Craig is accused of putting arsenic and cyanide in her protein shakes.

[Ryan Redfern]

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.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Investigators say he researched poisons in the days leading up to his wife's death.

[Ryan Redfern]

I couldn't believe the allegations. I couldn't believe the story. I couldn't believe the mug shot. There's my dentist. A mug shot. Good afternoon, Colorado. I'm Stefan Tubbs. I'm a talk show host here in Denver. Late breaking news this afternoon. 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 series. I'd like the truth. Another new development. At least 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?

[Stephen Tubbs]

Her symptoms, Dizziness, blurred vision, headaches, slowed responsiveness. What does that tell you?

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

Yeah, that's really worrisome. I'm Dr. Jeff Lapointe. I'm an emergency physician and toxicologist. Arsenic will be absorbed very rapidly and you would probably start getting sick pretty quick.

[Stephen Tubbs]

What about potassium cyanide?

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

Cyanide's one of the most effective poisons. You're being suffocated on a cellular level.

[Ryan Redfern]

Angela Craig is getting sicker and sicker and. And sicker and sicker, and she. 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.

[Sky Lazaro]

There does seem like there's substantial evidence in the case. The arrest warrant was 52 pages long. I'm Sky Lazaro. I'm a criminal defense lawyer. The spouse is a very easy target.

[Ryan Redfern]

He's entered a plea of not guilty.

[Sky Lazaro]

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.

[Ryan Redfern]

He administered, allegedly, the poison via her protein shakes.

[Sky Lazaro]

The state hasn't presented you any evidence that the poison was actually in the drink. You can't show that he did it.

[Ryan Redfern]

I wouldn't say this is a slam dunk case. There's no motive here. What is the motive? Natalie Morales reports.

[George Brockler]

Who poisoned Angela Craig?

[Stephen Tubbs]

Under that vast Rocky mountain sky? On March 18, 2023, in the Denver suburb of Aurora, Angela Craig died. Just days later, former radio personality Stephen Tubbs began his podcast about the sensational case and the unimaginable news.

[Ryan Redfern]

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.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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. And the allegedly poisoned shakes would be told around the world.

[Ryan Redfern]

Come on. A dentist allegedly ordering potassium cyanide and arsenic? Really?

[Stephen Tubbs]

But it was all as painfully real as a dentist's drill.

[Sky Lazaro]

Dr. Craig and Angela Craig were just.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Like two peas in a podcast. The two of them in the office was cute because they would play pranks on each other all day long. Chelsea Otoya 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.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

My name is Dr. Jim Craig and I practice at Summerbrook Dental Group.

[Ryan Redfern]

Coming up on our left, the former home of Summerbrook Dental. Is it this one over here? It's that one right there, yeah.

[Stephen Tubbs]

For Tubbs, this office building, once home to Summerbrook, has become a tragic touchstone.

[Ryan Redfern]

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 met his wife.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Angela was the heart and soul of that family, my to their six children and a hands on partner in what seemed like a thriving business.

[Ryan Redfern]

She was not somebody just to sit there and stay quiet. She was engaged in the dental practice. She was somebody who was talking about ideas and their marketing, their message.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Tubbs helped refine that message, working on some of Summerbrook's advertising. He witnessed how those two peas in a pod work side by side with Angela pitching in as one of Jim's office managers.

[Ryan Redfern]

I thought it was kind of cool, you know, you've got a husband and wife, huge family. I thought it was great to see a small Colorado business operated by, you know, husband and wife. Welcome to our third edition of this podcast.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Tubbs 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.

[Ryan Redfern]

In nearly 34 years of being a newsman, the most unbelievable and seemingly thorough arrest affidavit I have ever read.

[Stephen Tubbs]

The warrant alleges that James has shown the planning and intent to end his wife's life by searching for ways to kill someone who undetected.

[Ryan Redfern]

This was not the James Craig that I knew.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Dentistry can be expensive.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

Dentistry can be scary. Dentistry can be uncomfortable.

[Stephen Tubbs]

The James Craig, Aurora, New 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 6th, is that correct?

[George Brockler]

That's right. March 6th was her first time into the hospital.

[Stephen Tubbs]

At the time, George Brockler was another force in Colorado talk radio.

[Ryan Redfern]

This is the George Show.

[George Brockler]

I'll be with you.

[Stephen Tubbs]

He is also the former elected district attorney for Arapahoe county, where Angela lived and would die rattling this community.

[George Brockler]

This is a huge story.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Like Stephen Tubbs, Brockler has immersed himself in the details of Angela's final days. A desperate two week ordeal. But on that March 6th, as the hours passed in the error, there were lots of questions but few answers.

[George Brockler]

They really didn't have a good answer for what she was going through. And they end up releasing her and sending her home.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[George Brockler]

Suggest a very supportive, loving relationship.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[George Brockler]

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.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Jim texts, I'll need to ask what you're hungry for and bring it to 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.

[Ryan Redfern]

The doctors and nurses are trying, they're conducting tests. They just cannot figure out what is ailing this relatively normal and healthy 43 year old woman.

[George Brockler]

All the steps that the doctors and medical staff had taken seemed to not be working. Was a real mystery.

[Ryan Redfern]

You say you'll never join the Navy.

[Stephen Tubbs]

That you never track storms brewing in.

[Ryan Redfern]

The Atlantic and skydiving could never be.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Part of your commute.

[Ryan Redfern]

You'd never climb Mount Fuji on a.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Port visit or fly so fast you break the sound barrier.

[Ryan Redfern]

Joining the Navy. Sound sounds crazy. Saying never actually is. Start your [e-mail], america's Navy forged by the Sea, now Streaming. Hi again, TV's quirkiest crime solver.

[Stephen Tubbs]

I'm Elspeth Tasioni. I work with the police.

[George Brockler]

It's on the case.

[Stephen Tubbs]

I like my outlandish theories with a heavy dose of evidence and ready to.

[Ryan Redfern]

Go toe to toe with a cavalcade of guest stars.

[George Brockler]

Are you saying that this is now a murder investigation?

[Stephen Tubbs]

It's starting to look that way.

[Ryan Redfern]

Don't miss a moment of the critically Acclaimed hit Elsbeth all episod now streaming on Paramount plus and returns CBS Fall.

[Stephen Tubbs]

That sounds like fun.

[Ryan Redfern]

Obviously, murder's not fun. There was nothing that would be even remotely a red flag or this is a rocky, troubled marriage, none of that at all.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[George Brockler]

The loving husband who wants to see his wife remain healthy.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[Ryan Redfern]

He's continuing to go to work, and I don't begrudge him for that. He's got a family of six kids.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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 texts 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.

[Ryan Redfern]

Angela Craig was so sick, it seemed.

[Stephen Tubbs]

That all her symptoms had returned.

[Ryan Redfern]

She had horrible headaches, horrible nausea. She was dizzy. And doctors were at a loss.

[George Brockler]

They're struggling to figure out what in the hell is causing this, what is making her sick?

[Ryan Redfern]

And they just could not get an answer.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[George Brockler]

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.

[Stephen Tubbs]

And with Angela so sick, according to the warrant, Jim also texted with Ryan's wife, Michelle Redfern, trained as a nurse. What were they texting about?

[George Brockler]

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 the doctors had expressed about symptomology that should have resolved by now.

[Stephen Tubbs]

But one of Jim's texts, in retrospect, seemed odd, as it appeared he was making light of Angela's mysterious illness.

[Ryan Redfern]

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?

[Stephen Tubbs]

Still, a bad joke in times of crisis isn't unusual. Says former DA Brockler.

[George Brockler]

Everybody reacts to trauma differently.

[Stephen Tubbs]

And James Craig seemed worried. It had been four hectic days since Angela was admitted. 1am 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.

[Ryan Redfern]

Through the night, I have thought about every agonizing minute that Angela Craig was in.

[Stephen Tubbs]

But over the next day, Angela seemed to stabilize. And on March 14, 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 15, she was admitted to nearby University Hospital. There would be more tubes and tests and monitors. Jim was soon by her side.

[Ryan Redfern]

They had no idea what was wrong with her.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[George Brockler]

It was critical.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Jim Craig took these photos of Angela as hospital staff tried to save her. Angela, once so full 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 purpose personal package and not to open it.

[Ryan Redfern]

Jim Craig had 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?

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[George Brockler]

Yep, he did say he saw him crying afterwards.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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 potassium cyanide that had arrived at Summerbrook Dental allegedly addressed and later given to Jim Craig.

[Ryan Redfern]

And there's the dominoes that are now falling one after the other.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Ryan Redfern led the way.

[George Brockler]

He does what any other normal person would do.

[Stephen Tubbs]

According to police, While Angela was on life support, Ryan tells a nurse that Jim Craig recently ordered potassium cyanide, adding that there was no medical reason or purpose to order potassium cyanide for a dental practice.

[Ryan Redfern]

The nurse, being a mandatory reporter, calls Aurora police and I mean, it's like that within five hours, probably even less. There is a member of the homicide unit with Aurora PD at University Hospital.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Cops started asking questions. Then, according to the warrant, Ryan received a call from James personal cell phone. Tell me about that phone call.

[George Brockler]

I think. Ryan and his wife are in the parking lot of the hospital when Jim calls them.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[George Brockler]

And Ryan says, it's not a ring. We know what was in there. I mean, this is a testament to Ryan Redfern.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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 and unless you are served a 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?

[George Brockler]

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.

[Stephen Tubbs]

But if that's what he was trying to do, it was too late. Police had already launched their investigation. On March 18, 2023, Angela was taken off life support. Friend, wife, mother of six. Angela Craig was dead.

[Sky Lazaro]

I was in complete shock and complete.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[Ryan Redfern]

There's my dentist. A mugshot.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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 tetrahydrozoline, the chemical found in some eye drops. And it says that Angela had toxic concentrations of arsenic in her blood in those two earlier hospital visits.

[Ryan Redfern]

To think about what Angela Craig endured, this woman was in agony, dying for so long.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Just a week before Angela got sick, according to the warrant, Jim Craig set 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.

[Ryan Redfern]

One particular Google search. How many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human?

[Stephen Tubbs]

Craig, investigators say, also found these videos.

[Ryan Redfern]

Popular for many reasons.

[Stephen Tubbs]

We have cyanide with titles like Top 5 Undetectable Poisons that show no sign of foul play.

[Ryan Redfern]

Arsenic is virtually undetectable.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[George Brockler]

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.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

It's a pretty rare medical subspecialty.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Dr. Jeff Lapointe is the director of the Division of Medical Toxicology at San Diego's Kaiser Permanente Hospital.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

If it's a poison or a venom, that's what we specialize.

[Stephen Tubbs]

You're that guy.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

Yeah.

[Stephen Tubbs]

So we asked him, and Dr. Lapointe 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.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

Okay. Yeah. Arsenic is a very famous poison. It's not detectable by taste or odor.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Dr. Lapointe says Angela's symptoms in those first two hospital visits are consistent with arsenic poisoning. Nausea and vomiting, lower blood pressure, higher. Blood pressure generally lower. How much would kill a person?

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

It does not take very much.

[Stephen Tubbs]

But police say there was more a week after he purchased that arsenic. They allege Craig as Jim and Waffles went back online. He ordered a second poison. Beguiling and beautiful. Oleandrin. What is that?

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

So oleandrin is a toxin found in oleander.

[Stephen Tubbs]

I'm thinking of those white flowers.

[Ryan Redfern]

Yeah.

[Stephen Tubbs]

They're really beautiful. Yeah. As lovely as a rose, only deadly.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

It prevents the heart from beating very efficiently.

[Stephen Tubbs]

But after three days, the oleandrin hadn't been delivered. That's when investigators say Jim Craig upped the ante. Cops say he placed this order with a medical supply company for his strongest toxin yet. Potassium cyanide.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

Cyanide's one of the most effective poisons that exists.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Just a microdose could kill you then.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

Yeah, a very small amount per kilogram, and you're. You're not gonna live. When you are poisoned with cyanide, you're being suffocated on a cellular level. It's a very potent poison. Your victim would die very rapidly.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Cyanide is so deadly that you need a medical license to buy it.

[Ryan Redfern]

My name is Dr. Jim Craig, and.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Police say that when Dr. James Craig placed his order from a medical supply company, he. He stated he needed it for a complex dental procedure.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

There's no use for potassium cyanide in my practice, or I can't think of many medical practices.

[Stephen Tubbs]

So, a dentist ordering arsenic, potassium cyanide, and oleandrin. What does that suggest to you?

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

Someone who's trying to collect poison.

[Stephen Tubbs]

But this father and husband would offer a very different story about why he wanted those deadly poisons.

[George Brockler]

What do you make of Ryan Redfern's choice? Chat now with the 48 Hours team on Facebook and x.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Hey, it's Morgan Absher, and I'm Kaylin Moore, and we're the host of the Crime House original podcast, Clues. Every Wednesday, we sneak past the crime scene tape and open a new case file for some of the most gripping true crime cases. Follow and listen to Clues, an Odyssey podcast in partnership with Crime House, available now on the free Odyssey app and wherever you get your podcasts. 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.

[Ryan Redfern]

Doesn't it just always seem like there's another woman involved? Always. Almost always.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[Ryan Redfern]

Karen Kane, an orthodontist from Austin, Texas. She meets Jim Craig at a dental conference in Las Vegas.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[George Brockler]

They strike up a relationship.

[Ryan Redfern]

They hit it off. It's a whirlwind.

[Stephen Tubbs]

A few weeks later, according to the Warrant. Karen Kane would fly to Colorado and rendezvous in this hotel with James Craig. He would use that newly created email, Jim and Waffles, to flirt with her.

[Sky Lazaro]

It's not illegal to have affairs.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Sky Lazaro is an experienced defense attorney familiar with cases involving poison. James Craig and his attorney declined our request for an interview. Lazzaro reviewed the case against Jim Craig for 48 hours and she identified potential weaknesses.

[Sky Lazaro]

Is it reasonable that you would kill your wife to be with someone that you had had a 10 day relationship with?

[Stephen Tubbs]

The common defense strategy is affairs do not make a murderer. Right?

[Sky Lazaro]

One doesn't automatically mean you did the other.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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 Cain knew anything more.

[George Brockler]

Nothing that I have seen gives any indication that she knew that Jim was trying to kill his wife.

[Stephen Tubbs]

And according to investigators, Jim Craig lied to Karen, telling her that he filed for divorce and was living separate in an apartment.

[Ryan Redfern]

He gives the standard male typical, I'm going through a divorce. No, he's not.

[Stephen Tubbs]

And a detective said she told them her relationship with Jim was evil, 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.

[Ryan Redfern]

Karen Kane met the wrong guy at the wrong time. She didn't know anything.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Tubbs 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.

[Ryan Redfern]

One of the things that surprised me in this story is the financial duress that Summerbrook Dental was under.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[George Brockler]

Way in over his head.

[Stephen Tubbs]

And at a preliminary hearing in 2023, prosecutors argued that Jim Crow Craig had about 3.4 million reasons to kill his wife. The value of Angela's life insurance, Jim.

[George Brockler]

Had liabilities in excess of $2 million. And we know that from some of the bankruptcy filings.

[Stephen Tubbs]

But Lazzaro says she's not convinced those financial problems give James Craig a motive for murder. This is sort of the portrait of a desperate man.

[Sky Lazaro]

Not necessarily. We see businesses go through bankruptcy all the time and come out the other side.

[Stephen Tubbs]

And as for any poisons he may have ordered, Lazzaro states those purchases may not even be illegal.

[Sky Lazaro]

He can legitimately purchase it because he.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Has a DEA number as a doctor, as a dentist. Right, Right.

[Sky Lazaro]

Just having it isn't murder.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Mm. Administering it. Right, Right. But according to the arrest paperwork, Jim Craig might have thought he had that 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.

[George Brockler]

Yeah.

[Stephen Tubbs]

On that morning of March 15, 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.

[George Brockler]

It is tasteless, it is odorless. It is colorless. It is really hideable inside something like a shake.

[Stephen Tubbs]

And highly lethal.

[George Brockler]

Highly lethal.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[Sky Lazaro]

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.

[Stephen Tubbs]

And Lazaro says the defense can paint a picture of Jim Craig as a kind and attentive partner.

[Sky Lazaro]

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.

[Stephen Tubbs]

So if Jim Craig didn't poison his wife, who did? Craig had a story to tell about that.

[George Brockler]

Go behind the scenes with the 48 hours postmortem podcast.

[Ryan Redfern]

Welcome to the first episode of.

[Stephen Tubbs]

As Stephen Tubbs 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.

[Ryan Redfern]

Craig says to the business partner on the phone, she was just playing chicken.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[Ryan Redfern]

According to Jim Craig, she's been threatening suicide, and this game of chicken is. Now, are you gonna. Are you gonna take it?

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[Sky Lazaro]

There was some statements that he, in fact, was suicidal, not her.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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.

[Sky Lazaro]

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.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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 Lazzaro says it's unlikely the defense would try to tell a jury that Jim and Angela were both trying to die by suicide.

[Sky Lazaro]

You have to pick one at some point, and it's either she's suicidal or that he's suicidal and this is is why he bought the drugs.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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? Tubbs wonders if prosecutors will contend Craig gave his wife more poison in the hospital.

[Ryan Redfern]

If the allegations are true. This is about as cruel as it gets, period.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Jim Craig's defense has hired its own toxicologist. 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.

[Sky Lazaro]

It's essentially a three day investigation.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Jim Craig's quick arrest, she says, could be a weakness for the state.

[Sky Lazaro]

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.

[Stephen Tubbs]

And as for that idea that poison is might be the key to someone trying to commit the perfect crime, toxicologist Dr. Jeff Lapointe says that is just plain wrong.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

You're gonna get caught.

[Stephen Tubbs]

That's an important message.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

Yeah, very.

[Stephen Tubbs]

There are ways that these will be traced and you will be found.

[Dr. Jeff Lapointe]

You'll be found.

[Stephen Tubbs]

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 Mira. On Mother's Day 2023, Mira wrote this on social media. As of tomorrow, my mom will be two months gone. I haven't the words to express the. The heartache my siblings and I feel every day. There's no words. You know, the whole situation is just traumatic.

[Ryan Redfern]

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.

[Stephen Tubbs]

Mira's last words in that post. I love you so much, mama. We miss you. 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. Summer on the south side of Chicago is heating up. You planning revenge? Aren't you? The shy is back on Paramount. It's a season of the women. Women, this is our chance. It's time to get to work. But the men aren't giving up without a fight.

[Ryan Redfern]

Street's always gonna have a villain.

[Stephen Tubbs]

No one is backing down in the Showtime original series from Emmy award winner Lena Waithe. Why do black women always have to save the day? If we don't do it, who else will? Don't miss the shy new season now streaming on the Paramount premium plan.

[Ryan Redfern]

Pluto TV is turning up the heat with thousands of free movies presenting summer of cinema stream like Gladiator, Good Burger, Beverly Hills Cop, the Girl with the dragon tattoo, and Julie and Julia. Pluto TV stream now pay never.