A Suspicious Death (Angela Craig)

Summary

Anatomy of Murder: "A Suspicious Death (Angela Craig)"

Podcast: Anatomy of Murder (audiochuck)
Episode Title: A Suspicious Death (Angela Craig)
Release Date: November 11, 2025
Hosts: Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi & Scott Weinberger
Special Contributor: Kylie Lowe

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the complex and chilling murder of Angela Craig, a 43-year-old mother of six from Aurora, Colorado. What began as a baffling and progressively worsening illness was ultimately revealed to be deliberate poisoning by her husband, James Craig—a trusted local dentist. Through interviews with law enforcement and prosecutors, the hosts dissect layers of the investigation, emphasizing the crucial roles of digital evidence, family dynamics, workplace observations, and forensic science, culminating in a compelling and heartbreaking narrative of betrayal within a seemingly perfect family.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Introduction to the Case

• The episode opens in Arapahoe County, Colorado, setting the scene of Aurora—a peaceful suburb overshadowed by a shocking crime ([03:04]-[03:32]).
• Angela Craig was described as "an absolute wonderful person... very sweet and wonderful... deeply family oriented" ([04:50] Anna).
• Angela and James Craig "seemed to have it all"—successful careers, six children, a busy yet loving household ([05:27]-[06:17]).

2. The Mysterious Illness

• Angela’s symptoms started abruptly after returning from a family trip—"almost falling off of her exercise bike... no indication of why or how she became sick" ([06:40] Anna).
• The family was "big into health," and Angela drank a daily protein shake, which James would sometimes prepare ([07:23] Anna).
• Despite multiple ER visits and extensive tests, "no one... could figure out what was causing her symptoms" ([09:25] Kylie).

3. Escalation and Family Involvement

• Angela's condition worsened with cycles of improvement and relapse. Symptoms included tremors, nausea, vision troubles, and erratic blood pressure ([08:42]-[13:07]).
• The Craig family and extended relatives remained supportive but increasingly worried, banding together to help ([11:04]-[11:42]).

4. The Suspicious Package

• The breakthrough came when the office manager at James Craig’s dental practice recalled "a package... containing cyanide" delivered to the office ([17:30] Kylie).
• The package had been accidentally opened but didn't alarm staff initially, as dental offices receive various substances; concern grew when Angela became gravely ill ([17:45]-[18:00]).

5. Confrontation and Crisis

• The office manager, uncertain how to proceed, brought the information to James’s business partner rather than the police. The partner confronted James, who lied, claiming the package was "a ring for Angela" ([21:08] Anna).
• After the truth about the cyanide emerged, the hospital responded but "it was just too late... nothing that could be done" ([20:07] Anna).

6. Launching a Criminal Investigation

• Law enforcement and the Arapahoe County Deputy DA Osama Migrabi entered the case, aware that "not every crime is obvious from the start" ([04:27] Scott).
• Search warrants were quickly sought for the hospital (to preserve blood samples), the Craig home, and the dental office ([23:25]-[24:14]).

7. Uncovering the Digital and Forensic Trail

• Angela's phone indicated she was clueless about the poisoning, documenting her sincere efforts to diagnose herself ([25:26] Anna).
• Forensic analysis of James Craig’s computers revealed searches for "how to kill someone undetected," browsing for undetectable poisons, and active use of online dating sites ([26:58]-[27:25] Anna).
• Motive emerged: James had a history of infidelity and stood to benefit from "multiple life insurance policies to the tune of $4 million" ([34:00] Anna).

8. Surveillance Evidence and the Poisoning

• Hidden home surveillance cameras (unknown to James) had been quietly recording. The footage captured James "mixing substances in their kitchen... the night before Angela first becomes ill" ([35:55]-[36:22] Anna).
• Video also showed the couple’s ordinary interactions, supporting that Angela suspected nothing ([36:31] Kylie).

9. The Lethal Doses and Final Unraveling

• Medical and forensic review found fluctuating yet increasingly dangerous levels of cyanide in Angela’s system, with the final, fatal spike corresponding to a hospital visit during which James was alone with her ([38:28]-[38:48]).
• Video and hospital staff reports pointed to James using "a syringe," likely delivering the final dose in the hospital ([39:08]-[39:40] Anna).

10. Digital and Toxicological Smoking Gun

• On the office computer, James was caught searching not only about cyanide but also "arsenic and tetrahydrozoline (eye drops)", and placing orders for those substances ([40:32]-[40:55]).
• The evidence explained Angela’s fluctuating symptoms, as she was subjected to "multiple deadly cocktails... administered at different times" ([40:55] Kylie, [41:11] Scott).

11. The Arrest, Trial, and Verdict

• With digital, physical, and motive evidence, police arrested James Craig ([41:39] Anna).
• Trial evidence: computer records, shipment receipts, surveillance video, and testimony on medical knowledge were presented to the jury.
• "He kept trying a substance. It didn't quite kill her. And so he moved on to another... It took him 10 days to get it right" ([42:18] Anna).
• James was found "guilty of every count... murder in the first degree" and sentenced to life without parole ([43:15] Anna).

12. Aftermath and Emotional Impact

• "Six children between 8 and 21... lost their mother and in many ways their father as well" ([44:05] Kylie).
• The family's victim impact statements were "heartbreaking... they knew he had done a horrible thing" ([44:18] Anna).
• Anna reflects: "It's a betrayal. And that betrayal is deepened when it's the spouse... shocking somebody could plot and plan and do this and betray a loved one in this way" ([43:46] Anna).
• Scott concludes: "He used his medical knowledge to disguise murder as illness, but... created a breadcrumb trail... the persistence of detectives... made all the difference" ([44:47] Scott).
• Kylie offers poignant final thoughts: "Angela lost her life painfully and somewhat slowly... She would most likely want us thinking most about her children" ([45:46] Kylie).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Betrayal and Motivation

• "It was heartbreaking. It's a betrayal. And that betrayal is deepened when it's the spouse."
  — Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi ([43:46])

• "Angela Craig was the insured person on multiple life insurance policies to the tune of $4 million..."
  — Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi ([34:00])

On Breakthrough Moments

• "There was an order... directly to Mr. Craig's business... it was opened by accident... it contained cyanide."
  — Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi ([17:22]-[17:30])

• "If you're wrong, you could lose your job. But if you're right, staying quiet could mean someone's life could be at risk."
  — Scott Weinberger ([18:00])

On Digital Evidence

• "He's on a computer searching for how to kill someone undetected. What substances show up in an autopsy?"
  — Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi ([40:32])

• "He kept trying a substance. It didn't quite kill her. And so he moved on to another..."
  — Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi ([42:18])

On the Complexity of the Case

• "This case broke open before it even came to the police. And that was because there was an order of cyanide... Would this case have still come in at all if she hadn't opened by accident?"
  — Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi ([42:50], recurring point)

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Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Summary | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 03:04–06:17| Introducing the Craig family and Angela’s background | | 06:40–10:19| Angela’s mysterious illness; initial medical confusion | | 17:04–19:09| Discovery of the cyanide package at the dental office | | 20:07–22:04| The confrontation with James, hospital crisis | | 23:25–24:59| Detective intervention; preservation of crucial evidence| | 26:58–28:06| Digital footprints: searches, dating profiles, motives | | 34:00–34:47| Financial motive: revelation of life insurance | | 35:55–36:22| Surveillance finds: James mixing substances in kitchen | | 38:28–39:40| Toxicology results; final hospital poisoning | | 40:32–41:11| Uncovering multiple poisons: arsenic, eye drops | | 42:18–43:15| Trial, verdict, and sentencing | | 44:05–45:46| Family impact and emotional aftermath |

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Recurring Themes & Tone

• Methodical Deception: The method and patience of James Craig in masking murder as illness.
• Relentless Investigation: Persistence, detail, and rapid action by law enforcement and medical professionals.
• Community and Family Devastation: The profound effects of betrayal within a family.
• Role of the Good Samaritan: The courage of the office manager and James’s business partner was pivotal.
• Professional Betrayal: Abuse of medical knowledge and trust for personal gain.

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Conclusion

This episode offers a sobering look at how unthinkable crimes can occur behind the facade of a “perfect” life. The unraveling of Angela Craig’s murder required a multi-pronged investigation—digital forensics, forensics in toxicology, persistent law enforcement, and everyday courage. The Anatomy of Murder team skillfully guides listeners through each twist, underscoring how betrayals of trust can have lifetime consequences for families and communities left in the wake.

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For listeners:
This summary captures the crucial aspects, quotes, and emotional landscape of the Angela Craig case as presented by the Anatomy of Murder team. It reflects the episode’s investigative energy, meticulous structure, and respectful tone toward victims.

Transcript

[Kylie Lowe]

Hi, I'm Kylie Lowe, host of Dark Down East, a true crime podcast unlike any other. Why? Because every case I cover comes from the heart of my home, New England. From the rocky Maine coast to the historic streets of Boston to the quiet corners of Vermont and beyond, I investigate stories filled with untold twists, enduring questions, and voices that deserve to be heard. So if you're ready to explore the darker side of New England, join me every week for Dark Down East. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

[Scott Weinberger]

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[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

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[Kylie Lowe]

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[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

This murder was always going to shake the community. But would this case have still come in at all if she hadn't opened the package by accident? And so it's really thanks to that employee good Samaritan who saw this and said, wait a second, is this what's causing the problem? And tried to do something to help.

[Scott Weinberger]

I'm Scott Weinberger, investigative journalist and former deputy sheriff.

[Kylie Lowe]

I'm Anna Sega Nicolasi, former New York City Homicide prosecutor and host of Investigation Discoveries True Conviction.

[Scott Weinberger]

And this is Anatomy of Murder. Arapahoe County, Colorado is an area that blends the pace and complexity of a big city with the beautiful stillness of nature.

[Kylie Lowe]

And a part of that county is Aurora. And even the tallest buildings in downtown Aurora look tiny in the shadows of the towering Rocky Mountain peaks that surround them.

[Scott Weinberger]

And for the men and women working these cases, those surroundings aren't just beautiful, they're grounding. A reminder that solving a case is like hiking the mountain trails. You don't see the whole path from the start. You get there by finding small pieces or one step at a time until the bigger picture finally comes into view.

[Kylie Lowe]

It's a lesson that has also resonated with Arapaho County Deputy DA Osama Migrobi. Throughout his years as a prosecutor, he has seen firsthand and too many times the devastation that violent crime brings to so many and the importance of accountability.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

It was what kind of drew me to the law in the first place, that, you know, it's a way to help people and see that the right outcomes are happening. Someone who's committed very serious offense and you want to make sure that they're held accountable. This is a career that lets me do that and really help the victims who have been affected by crime.

[Scott Weinberger]

Osama also knows that not every crime is obvious from the start. Even a homicide can be obscured or hidden in ways many of us wouldn't consider.

[Kylie Lowe]

And that's just what happened in this case. A murder that robbed six children of their loving mom, Angela Craig, at the age of 43, Angela Craig seems by.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

All accounts to be an absolute wonderful person. She was family oriented and focused. She cared deeply for their children. They had six children. They were fairly religious in the Mormon Church. We've heard from neighbors that she was very sweet and wonderful. She was into genealogy. She was into woodworking. She was also homeschooling with two of the children.

[Scott Weinberger]

Angela and James were doting parents to more than just their children.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

There were a number of pets. There were a couple of dogs. They had a bird, a lizard. All sorts of animals had gone through that home over the time. So we have this image of someone who is caring and loving to people and to animals.

[Kylie Lowe]

The Craig family was athletic and health conscious. Their home filled with activity just the way Angela and James had planned it when they first got together.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

They were married for about 23 years. She was with him as he went through dental school, and they met some of their close friends around that time in the dentistry field, he started a practice in Aurora, Colorado. Overwhelmingly, people had a positive image of them as a couple and that things were going well and that they were you know, a loving family.

[Scott Weinberger]

In March of 2023, the Craigs seemed to have it all. James dental practice provided a solid income and allowed Angela to be the perfect stay at home mom.

[Kylie Lowe]

At that point, their two oldest kids were already off to college and the four still living at home were doing well.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

Their home was large, essentially a three story home. It was big enough for their six children. The home itself is situated in a very suburban area, kind of a nice sprawling neighborhood.

[Scott Weinberger]

But that peaceful, seemingly idyllic family life was about to be upended. Shortly after Angela returned home from a vacation.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

She had just gone on a trip to see her sister and go to a genealogy conference. She gets home, she's fine. The next day, while she's working out in the morning, as she often did, she was suddenly ill. She describes almost falling off of her exercise bike with no indication of why or how she became sick.

[Kylie Lowe]

The illness was surprising. Angela was in great shape and worked out regularly. She ate right and had no prior health issues.

[Scott Weinberger]

Both she and James were baffled and could not come up with any potential cause for the sudden attack. Healthy habits were always part of the family's routine and they were careful about what they ate. And Angela had started that day like any other with her daily protein shake.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

The whole family was big into shakes. She was also big into exercise. She was very fit. She's texting with James Craig, her husband, and mentions that she's not feeling well. And he references, oh, you know, when I made your shake this morning, maybe I put in too much of the caffeine or too much of the B vitamins. And they're discussing what she usually puts in the shake that might be different from what James Craig had done. So she thinks, well, maybe she's just had too much of the caffeine, her body's not liking it and this will all go away. It doesn't. She ends up going into the ER that day.

[Kylie Lowe]

But the trip to the emergency room didn't provide any answers. Luckily, in only a few hours, Angela started to feel better and soon was released to go home.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

There's no indication throughout this of what could be the problem. She's searching on her computer her symptoms, she's typing them in. She's got shakes, these tremors. She's generally unwell or even nauseous, but nothing specific enough to figure out what's going on.

[Scott Weinberger]

Angela was troubled that the doctors or any of her own research pointed to any of the answers for her sudden sickness.

[Kylie Lowe]

Hospital personnel were equally as mystified. But one thing soon became Clear whatever had been bothering her wasn't going away anytime soon. Angela's symptoms soon returned and got even worse.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

Some of her symptoms are coming and going with severe headaches. At one point, she's passed out, fell to the ground, at times even crawling to avoid standing up because she's not sure if she's going to fall over again. She describes internal tremors like not even the outside of her shaking, but it felt like something inside was just wrong. And she never gets any answer to what was going on from James Craig's perspective. Angela went off to Utah to visit family, and then the very next day is when she falls ill. Could it.

[Scott Weinberger]

Have been a virus or some type of bacterial infection that Angela picked up while she was traveling? Testing failed to confirm anything, but there are thousands of viruses that don't show up in a basic screening.

[Kylie Lowe]

And so while everyone did what they could to help her feel better, no one in the Craig family nor any of Angela's doctors could figure out what was causing her symptoms. So at the same time, Angela herself continued to try and figure out what was happening.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

So she is continuing to look at Google and try to figure out what her symptoms could mean. She's looking at some, seeing her primary care physician. There's another trip to a different urgent care, just nonstop throughout the course of this, trying to figure it out. She also thought it could be diabetes. She has some family history of that. And so she asked a friend who had diabetes testing equipment to come over and check her blood sugar. Maybe it's diabetes and she can get it under control and get better.

[Scott Weinberger]

But for all the research and even home remedies, nothing seemed to work.

[Kylie Lowe]

In fact, her condition seemed to be getting progressively worse.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

She's admitted to Parker Adventist Hospital, where she's at for the bulk of the time there. And then when that wasn't working and she was released, she's at home for one night taking antibiotics, and then the next day when she's ill, she goes back into a different hospital. So she tried three different hospitals.

[Scott Weinberger]

And I think many people are familiar with that, at least some aspects of this type of frustration. You know something's wrong with you, but the doctors conduct tests after tests and still can't find out anything.

[Kylie Lowe]

And, you know, you can start to second guess yourself. You start to feel like maybe you're just imagining the symptoms, but at the very least, you hope that whatever's going on will eventually go away on its own. And that was the case with Angela.

[Scott Weinberger]

As she struggled with a recurring illness. The extended Craig family Remained in touch and they banded together.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

Angela's family is rather large. They had a group chat and so they were communicating, talking about what was wrong and James Craig was keeping them all posted. There was an earlier crash at one of the hospitals where she was not doing well and then recovered. They're all trying to keep it light hearted, find humor in the situation rather than making it seem too dire, like, oh, this is something passing, we'll get it figured out. And then Angela's brother came into town with his wife and was going to stay there to help out with getting her to doctor's appointments and also help out with watching the children.

[Scott Weinberger]

But Angela's loved ones were not able to keep their concerns low key for very long.

[Kylie Lowe]

She was getting worse and quickly and.

[Scott Weinberger]

That had her doctor's attention as well.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

She's got mostly the same symptoms. Nothing's gotten better. She's having trouble with her vision, having trouble keeping any food down. So it's stomach issues as well as the sort of full body tremors and shakes that are going on.

[Kylie Lowe]

The severity of her symptoms led Angela back to the hospital. This time doctors admitted her for several days. But again, luckily, after about 48 hours, she seemed to be doing better. She was lucid and able to speak.

[Scott Weinberger]

Then suddenly, another reversal. It was becoming a frustrating and more concerning cycle.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

There's actually a crash while she's there in the hospital and then improves again, but she's still not better, still not well. No answers. They really don't know. They were at a complete loss. The treatment is minimal. It's mostly to make her feel better rather than to actually treat anything because they don't know what's wrong and they don't want to make anything worse. They do obviously blood testing, they do urine testing. They're looking at every possibility for what could be causing this and they're not reaching any answers.

[Kylie Lowe]

And part of the challenge here in trying to find a cause for what was happening with Angela was that her symptoms kept changing.

[Scott Weinberger]

Her tremors came and went, only to be replaced by painful stomach issues.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

At one point she has very high blood pressure. At one point she has very low blood pressure. So at this point, her brother and his wife are in town, they're helping her out.

[Kylie Lowe]

The arrival of her extended family seemed to raise her spirits. In fact, Angela's condition began to improve.

[Scott Weinberger]

In fact, doctors were comfortable with her progress and once again released Angela from the hospital.

[Kylie Lowe]

The whole thing was odd and baffling. Like, how did this struggle, strong fit, 43 year old, get so sick and then recover so suddenly and it was happening over and over. Why was this happening on repeat now?

[Scott Weinberger]

It definitely begged the question, was there something unnatural going on? Or even worse, was there someone behind Angela's deck?

[Kylie Lowe]

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[Kylie Lowe]

See mintmobile.com 43 year old Angela Craig was suffering through a frustrating and debilitating nightmare. The mother of six had suddenly become ill and nobody knew what was going on or how to treat her.

[Scott Weinberger]

Angela had visited multiple doctors and three different medical facilities and none of them could pinpoint the cause of her fluctuating symptoms and things only seemed to be getting worse.

[Kylie Lowe]

It was those morphing symptoms that had doctors really scratching their heads. There had been dangerously high blood pressure followed by low piercing headaches that then vanished and were replaced by the inability then to hold down food. There was no known medical condition following that pattern, and every test was coming back negative.

[Scott Weinberger]

And it was about that time that the office manager of James Craig's dental practice started to think more about a package that had been delivered to the office soon before this all started. And knowing how sick Angela was, this package now concerned her.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

There was an order that was ordered directly to Mr. Craig's business, and it was opened by accident.

[Kylie Lowe]

And what the office manager knew was that this package, it contained cyanide.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

The office manager didn't think much of it at the time. Certainly there's substances that arrive at a dentist's office all the time. And she wasn't familiar with this one.

[Kylie Lowe]

But as Angela's illness worsened, the package started to stand out.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

Angela had fallen gravely ill, and she's at the office and James Craig rushes off and leaves, and she thinks again about the cyanide and wait, is this connected? At some point, she Googles the symptoms.

[Scott Weinberger]

Some seem to align with what was happening to Angela, but it wasn't clear cut. Now, what a spot to be in. You have this terrifying suspicion, and it's still not really conclusive. And let me just say, you know, this is one of these moments that really makes you stop and think. I mean, imagine Anasega being in that office, realizing that something might be terribly wrong, but the person you're worried or suspicious about is your boss. And if you're wrong, you could lose your job. But if you're right, staying quiet could mean someone's life could be at risk. And from a law enforcement perspective, that's the kind of crossroads we often talk about. Fear versus duty. And the truth is you just have to speak up, bring what you know to investigators, because it's possible that that silence could be deadly.

[Kylie Lowe]

But, you know, so often it's hindsight that puts those things together where at the time you're not really sure, but you're not really overly concerned like. And so here, Scott, the office manager, took a measured approach. She didn't take the information to police, but she did speak up. She took it to her other boss, James Craig's partner in the dental practice.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

She passes it up the chain to James Craig's business partner. He's headed to the hospital to be there for his business partner and friend, James Craig. And he learns that cyanide was ordered to their business office.

[Scott Weinberger]

It was also the point where Angela's condition had become dire. She was near death. And Dr. Craig's business partner found himself trapped in an even worse situation than his Office manager because he's at the.

[Kylie Lowe]

Hospital now face to face with Angela's husband, who's also his partner and his close friend. So he's armed with this information that potentially at least pointed to James being involved in the poisoning of his own wife.

[Scott Weinberger]

But there was another possibility as well. He might have been making an unfounded allegation to a devastated friend in the midst of losing his wife of 23 years. That's when James's business partner decided to do the most important thing first.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

The business partner thinks that information is something that the hospital should know and passes that information along. It is now after the point when she has fully crashed. And so the hospital called in a toxicologist and they actually administer an antidote to cyanide, which is relatively uncommon. But it's just too late at that point. By the time the information gets to them, there's nothing that can be done.

[Kylie Lowe]

On March 19, 2023, 43 year old Angela Craig died.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

A hospital explained to us her intracranial pressure, the pressure in her brain was so high that there was no survivability, no way to repair that damage. And she was gone.

[Scott Weinberger]

And that's exactly where the suspicious death investigation began.

[Kylie Lowe]

It turned out that during those painful moments, James business partner had also summoned the courage to contact police and told them everything he knew.

[Scott Weinberger]

And he also confronted James about the unusual package that had come to their office.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

He said what was ordered to the office? And James Craig said, nothing. What are you talking about? And then it evolved. Well, we know that there was a package ordered. What was it? And James Craig said, well, it was a ring for Angela, that's why it was ordered to the office. It was going to be a surprise for her.

[Kylie Lowe]

That lie. It was a huge tip off for James business partner and ultimately for police as well. If there was an innocent explanation for the cyanide, one would have expected James Craig would have been given it right then.

[Scott Weinberger]

But with the story about a mystery ring being all that was offered, James's partner confronted his friend and pressed for the truth.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

And then he said no, the package was open, it was cyanide. What were you doing with cyanide?

[Kylie Lowe]

Craig appeared to be stunned. He had no idea the package had been opened. And he was even more surprised when his partner told him that the police knew as well.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

And James Craig reacted to the that saying something like, oh, what have you done? What have you done?

[Scott Weinberger]

Arapaho County Sheriff's office picked up the case and quickly brought in Osama.

[Kylie Lowe]

And you might be thinking right here on the surface, this looks like a simple case. A husband poisoned his wife. Case closed. But everyone involved was about to discover this investigation was anything but that. And for Osama, it would be extremely challenging.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

I can say I don't know if anyone else in our office who's handled a poisoning homicide.

[Scott Weinberger]

And investigators were at least two weeks behind. And now they had to try to track down potential evidence, some of which would have been difficult to find even at the beginning.

[Kylie Lowe]

And remember, the dentist, he had medical training, and he had unfettered access to the potential crime scenes being his office in the family home. With more than enough time to cover.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

His tracks, this case broke open before it even came to the police. And that was because there was an order of cyanide that was ordered directly to Mr. Craig's business. Would this case have still come in at all if she hadn't opened by accident? And so it's really thanks to that employee good Samaritan, who saw this and said, wait a second, is this what's causing the problem? And tried to do something to help.

[Scott Weinberger]

That was the key. But now investigators and prosecutors needed to figure out what was the cyanide given to Angela, and if so, how did Craig administer it?

[Kylie Lowe]

And they'd also need to prove if the cyanide had actually caused her death. So the investigation's next steps were a flurry of search warrants.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

Yeah, so that same day, the police are heading to the hospital. They're letting the hospital know to preserve some of the blood samples that had taken from Angela. Those are blood vials that would not otherwise be tested for cyanide.

[Kylie Lowe]

And, you know, we are looking at the types of objects here. We're talking about blood vials in a medical facility that are often destroyed at a certain point. Right. You're not going to keep those items around if there's no reason to after the tests have been performed. But for the police, of course, they're looking at potential evidence. So it really comes down to this race against time. You know, can they get to the hospital in time before the hospital potentially gets rid of something?

[Scott Weinberger]

Police just can't walk in and test it. Right. I mean, every minute that passes, as you said, Anasega, the sample risks being mislabeled, discarded, or even destroyed as part of the normal hospital process. So investigators, as you said, also had to really move fast, drafting a warrant, finding a judge, and securing that blood before it disappeared. And those searches at the hospital led to more searches at James Craig's dental office and home.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

The home search didn't Turn up any obvious foul play. There's a lot of items around the home that are photographed and reviewed. There's shaker cups, which at that point is the only item that we were aware could be a problem because Angela had fallen ill after drinking a shake one morning. So some shaker cups are collected and.

[Kylie Lowe]

The cups were clean. So they didn't seem to provide the hard evidence that law enforcement was hoping for. But at the same time, the fact that those cups were clean, it didn't mean in any way that they had not been used to poison Angela.

[Scott Weinberger]

Right. And let's just say James would have had plenty of time to wash anything he may have used used to carry out the crime. So it just means investigators are going to have to dig deeper. So they turned to Angela's phone to see if it would provide any clues.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

Reviewing her phone again, it became clear pretty quickly that she was not aware of what was going on. We're seeing her searches, her communications with friends and family about trying to figure out what's wrong.

[Kylie Lowe]

But the close inspection of James's dental office did provide important new leads that.

[Scott Weinberger]

Included the interview with the all important office manager who had jump started this investigation.

[Kylie Lowe]

She gave deputies a timeline and a description of some other odd behavior that she had noticed. Around the same time Craig had gotten.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

This package, James had been on a computer in their office that was not his usual computer. Each exam room has its own computer. That's for, you know, reviewing dental photos. That's not really for the personal use of the dentists. And the office manager said that James Craig had been in one of the exam rooms and it was after hours and dark when she saw him there. So it was unusual to her, shortly after that was when he had mentioned that he'd be getting a personal package ordered to the office. And please just put that on his desk just to keep an eye out for that.

[Scott Weinberger]

We now know that package was the cyanide she had seen. So detectives then went to that computer she had seen James Craig on and got it into the digital lab for examination.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

They wanted a forensic extraction to pull all the data off of that computer.

[Scott Weinberger]

At the same time, they also looked at Craig's personal office computer, which quickly indicated to detectives that they were on the right track.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

They did the non forensic initial review of that computer and it turned up James Craig searches. It turned up a profile for a dating site. It turned up some messages with a romantic interest, and there were tickets for that romantic interest to arrive in town as well. So the detectives are putting the pieces together. And so that's very interesting to the detectives who are looking for what is happening, what possible motives he could have.

[Kylie Lowe]

And while this is definitely pretty blockbuster stuff and certainly could provide possible motive on its face alone, it was not going to be that proof they needed of murder.

[Scott Weinberger]

In fact, all it showed was that Dr. James Craig was unfaithful. But the deeper they dug, the more cracks started to show.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

I think there were signs of trouble and discontent that people who were closer would have realized. So family members were aware of, some people in their church were aware of some of the difficulties that they had stemming from infidelity.

[Scott Weinberger]

Right.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

Nothing sort of dangerous or concerning. It was that James Craig was not faithful periodically throughout their marriage. And so there were some people who were aware of that.

[Kylie Lowe]

It was an important thread that had to be pulled to see if this obscure drift in the marriage had led to something else, something bigger. Had Angela gotten sick of the philandering and things, threatened divorce?

[Scott Weinberger]

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[Kylie Lowe]

The Arapaho County Sheriff's Office and prosecuting attorneys were investigating investigating the suspicious death of Angela Craig. By this point, they believed she'd been poisoned with cyanide.

[Scott Weinberger]

And the man they now suspected of killing Angela was her husband of 23 years, local dentist James Craig. Investigators had uncovered a long history of infidelity, eyeing it as a potential motive for murder.

[Kylie Lowe]

It was now Deputy DA Osama Magrobi's job to determine if the clues that had been uncovered could be built into a case. And so they looked more deeply at the extramarital relationships Craig had been having.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

The other relationships, the women he met on seeking.com, they were aware that he was in a marriage and wasn't looking for a long term relationship with them. And he spent a lot of money on these women, sometimes buying them erotic gifts, sometimes buying them jackets. He would take trips up to the mountains. One woman, he bought a car for her daughter. She was spending a lot of money on the way. Women, there's lots of communications between them, lots of text messages. He was kind of prolific in texting.

[Scott Weinberger]

But it was James Craig's most recent affair that seemed like the most promising lead.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

But with that last relationship, there was actually planning for the future. The women on from seeking.com understood that this was, you know, a romantic or sexual relationship, whereas what he's talking with the very last affair was long term.

[Kylie Lowe]

And you know, Scott, that is really such an important piece, you know, yes, many people have strayed outside of their marriage and some are repeat offenders. But now where you have this guy who is having relationship after relationship, but then this one seems different. It seems more long term and lasting. Like, was that the thing that makes him want out? And again, some people just don't want to get divorced. Whether it's because of the economics and the money they may have to pay out, or in this case, you know, it's a religious family, maybe there's some religious pressure, or at least self imposed pressure, you don't know, but it's definitely interesting. And you wonder if he's decided to take his wife's life rather than leave the marriage by legal means, by divorce.

[Scott Weinberger]

True. I mean, that motive may not just have been taking the personality who's standing in your way of this new relationship. But what about financial? Because we all know that love and money often leads to murder.

[Kylie Lowe]

And, you know, it really is like this change in pattern, which is the thing that makes them look at this part of his life more closely. And, you know, even though many in Craig's inner circle circle knew that the dentist had had these dalliances, no one had ever heard him even discuss the idea of a divorce.

[Scott Weinberger]

And investigators believed they had figured out why James Craig had come up with the murder plot versus just a simple divorce as a more permanent end to his marriage. And it did have everything to do with money.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

Angela Craig was the insured person on multiple life insurance policies to the tune of $4 million that this is money that would go to James Craig on her death.

[Kylie Lowe]

There's nothing ambiguous about a multimillion dollar life insurance policy or policies as a potential motive, especially when you also think about the division of money and property he'd likely have to pay if the couple divorced.

[Scott Weinberger]

Now, as you're probably realizing, motives are great, but they don't alone lead to arrests. So investigators still had to find more concrete evidence to connect James Craig to the poisoning. And that's when they noticed something that was crucial.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

When the officers were in the Craig home doing searches for cyanide, they saw that there were cameras throughout the home, and there was no way to access them. There was no video like panel that you'd be able to see what was happening. So they were looking into this, trying to figure out if there was an app that you'd be able to see it.

[Kylie Lowe]

And in the dark corners of the Craig's basement, they hit paydirt, a recording box for those cameras they figured out.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

Wasn'T visible anywhere except on the actual DVR box that was tucked into the basement. And those are hidden on purpose so that if an intruder comes in, they're gonna not be able to find that box. Again, we don't think that James Craig even knew that this was still recording. This was an old system that had been the home sometime prior.

[Scott Weinberger]

Deputies seized the equipment and rushed it over to the lab.

[Kylie Lowe]

The DVR held a treasure trove of information. It had recorded everything that had taken place in the home over the last month.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

And that's how we were able to get footage of the interactions between James and Angela within their home.

[Scott Weinberger]

As police watched the video, it now seemed clear that James Craig didn't realize the camera were working, because if he.

[Kylie Lowe]

Was aware, he certainly would have erased. At least you'd think the audio and video of him doing this.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

It showed James Craig mixing substances in their kitchen in a very strange way. So early on, prior to that very first shake, he's using the microwave to heat a substance and he's stirring, he's off screen, so he can't necessarily see what substance was going into that. But we hear the stirring noise as he's mixing something vigorously. And he does that. The night before Angela first becomes ill.

[Scott Weinberger]

It was the first real piece of evidence that points directly to James Craig giving his wife the poison.

[Kylie Lowe]

And it was clear that Angela didn't suspect that her husband was involved in her medical issues at all. The video shows the couple leading normal lives in the days leading up to her first becoming ill.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

They're kissing, they're hugging, they're carrying on as if nothing is wrong. And then we start to see Angela sick. And so we're able to see what's going on with her at different times, coming and going from the home, lying on the couch, very ill, getting more or drinks and shakes provided to her by James.

[Kylie Lowe]

But the fact that he's off camera doing that mixing means we still can't even be 100% certain based on those videos, at least what he's giving her is poison in those shakes because you can't see what it is that he is putting in the shaker cup. And you know, this is one of those things that can be so incredibly frustrating. You know, every piece that they're obtaining, everything they're hearing, it is pointing to this man murdered his wife by poisoning her. But these pieces, they're not giving them that one piece that they need to pull the rest together. That'll get them over that line.

[Scott Weinberger]

Let me just say, when you spend weeks, months or even years in the weeds of an investigation, you become really attached to everything about it. You believe in your evidence, you're committed to the family of your victim. But then sometimes it's the harsh reality that comes in. Often you're asking yourself this really important question, is it really enough? What is the prosecutor gonna say when you knock on that door? And you know the answer sometimes is a difficult one. And Anasega, you talk about it all the time. Don't tell me about what you know, tell me what I can prove.

[Kylie Lowe]

And there were still plenty of other avenues for them to explore, including the forensic search of the other computer that had been taken from James Craigs office.

[Scott Weinberger]

And perhaps even more important were the records from the hospitals where Angela had been admitted, including the results from several blood tests leading up to her death. The thorough testing had paid off.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

We were Able to see that her toxicology results showed a low level of cyanide when she first arrived at the hospital and then spiking to a very high level of cyanide.

[Kylie Lowe]

Investigators were stunned. Visitor logs indicated that James Craig had been alone with his wife just before that deadly last spike.

[Scott Weinberger]

As shocking as it may seem, it now appeared that James Craig had administered the lethal dose of cyanide to Angela while she was still in the hospital.

[Kylie Lowe]

Inspection of the videotape from the Craig's home revealed the likely method Dr. Craig had been able to use.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

Towards the end, we also see what certainly appears to be a syringe. We froze that footage so you could look closely at it.

[Scott Weinberger]

The video of the syringe was recorded just before Angela was admitted. Admitted to the hospital for the final time. Investigators spoke with nurses on duty during Angela's last moments alive, who also shared chilling details of her husband's activities.

[Kylie Lowe]

The nurses told police about an interaction they'd had with him that connected dots about when he may have used that syringe.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

James Craig steps out of the room, goes to the nurse's station and we actually have some surveillance from the public areas of the hospital. And he gestures to his arm and he tells the nurses. She says her arm hurts. And the nurses kind of stand up and then rush into the room to try to save Angela. And she's crashing. They do everything they can, but at that point she essentially falls into a coma and she's brain dead.

[Scott Weinberger]

Investigators were now convinced Angela's crash was triggered by the murderous actions of James Craig. It was believed that he. He had given his wife a massive dose of cyanide via that syringe.

[Kylie Lowe]

The evidence now appeared conclusive and inescapable. The office package of cyanide, the timing, the blood test results, the video evidence, plus the forensic evidence from the second office computer added even more.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

On his own computer in the dental practice, not his personal one in his office, but in this other exam room. He's on a computer searching for how to kill someone undetected. What substances show up in an autopsy?

[Scott Weinberger]

Even more damning was the documentation of other poisons. They included arsenic and tetrahydrozylene, which is found in over the counter eye drops.

[Kylie Lowe]

The discovery now made clear that James had likely utilized multiple deadly cocktails consisting of various ingredients probably administered at different times to kill his wife. And that allowed prosecutors to explain Angela's wildly fluctuating symptoms.

[Scott Weinberger]

Arsenic poisoning was likely responsible for her stomach pains and her high blood pressure.

[Kylie Lowe]

While ingesting tetrahydrozoline can cause violent headaches and low blood pressure. It now seemed clear Dr. Krett had actually attempted to kill his wife on multiple occasions using a variety of poisons.

[Scott Weinberger]

The discovery of this latest evidence also meant investigators were now ready to arrest James Craig for murder.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

With the added information of what was on his computer, they were able to determine probable cause to arrest James Craig. The searches that he was running, the orders that he had placed, they were able to see that cyanide was ordered from his computer. And what the coroner's conclusion was was that that was the only explanation for Angela Craig's death. That was the only explanation for why this otherwise healthy woman would die.

[Kylie Lowe]

At trial, prosecutors used the documents, the computer files, the phone records, and the video evidence to demonstrate that Craig had carefully planned his wife's death and then.

[Scott Weinberger]

Executed his deadly and heartless plot over the course of more than a week.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

He kept trying a substance. It didn't quite kill her. And so he moved on to another. He's putting these substances into her, apparently mixing them at times. This one always had that aspect of deliberation, of planning ahead of time, and it took him 10 days to get it right to keep poisoning her over this extended period of time.

[Kylie Lowe]

Usama also explained to the jury that Craig had used his medical training and knowledge to choose ingredients to poison his wife that he believed would go undetected.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

Another thing to note is that he's not looking for painless ways to kill someone. Then I don't know if these are sort of the substances you might expect someone to take if they wanted to fall asleep and pass peacefully. He is specifically looking for substances that will kill quickly and undetectably. That's his focus. He wants to stay hidden in the fact that he's administering these. He has no concern for Angela, has no concern for anyone else involved.

[Scott Weinberger]

And that cruelty resonated with the jury.

[Kylie Lowe]

The overwhelming evidence led to a quick and decisive verdict.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

The jury found James Craig guilty of every count that we charged. So that's murder in the first degree. The sentencing was the very same day that the verdict was handed down. And the reason is that murder in the first degree carries a penalty of life in prison without parole here in the state of Colorado. So there was not much debate about what his ultimate sentence would be.

[Scott Weinberger]

This is a story of overwhelming selfishness that ultimately sentenced everyone who. Who loved Angela Craig to a lifetime of pain and suffering.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

This murder was always going to shake the community. I think to anyone who knew the Craig family, who knew Angela, it was heartbreaking. It's a betrayal. And that betrayal is deepened when it's the spouse. It's shocking somebody could plot and plan and do this and betray a loved one in this way.

[Kylie Lowe]

Six children between the ages of 8 and 21 who lost their mother and in many ways their father as well. It was devastating to hear the victim impact statements of those who shared their grief.

[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

There were a number of family members who spoke, and those statements were heartbreaking. The family obviously loved Angela so very much. They wanted to make sure that he understood that. They knew he had done it. They knew he had done a horrible thing and that. That he was going to spend the rest of his life behind bars. James Craig's actions didn't just impact him, obviously. He took Angela Craig away from her family, away from her children. It's absolutely unconscionable.

[Scott Weinberger]

From a law enforcement perspective, the trail James Craig left behind tells the story of a man who thought he could outsmart everybody around him. On the surface, he was a career husband of a woman who kept mysteriously getting sick. But behind that image, he was quietly orchestrating her death. Every search on his computer, every order of poison shipped to his dental office, every message he sent while she lied, dying, all of it painted a picture of intent and control. He used his medical knowledge to disguise murder as illness, but in doing so, he created a breadcrumb trail that investigators could follow straight to him. And in the end, what unraveled his plan wasn't just science or technology. It was the persistence of detectives who refused to see Angela's death as anything less than suspicious.

[Kylie Lowe]

So many things to say about this case, but it's betrayal that stands out the most to me. To add insult to injury at trial, James Craig had even concocted some evidence to suggest that his wife had taken her own life. And just think about that from the perspective of his kids. To me, it's additional evidence of a man who thought solely of himself. Angela Craig lost her life painfully and somewhat slowly. The mental anguish on top of the physical is almost. Almost too much to think about. But Angela would most likely want us thinking most about her children, the six people she adored and loved with all her heart. Angela lost her life way before her time, and we hope that her children, all six, have support and lots of love around them as they now try to navigate the rest of their lives without her. Tune in next week for another new episode of Anatomy of Murder.

[Scott Weinberger]

Anatomy of Murder is an audio chuck.

[Kylie Lowe]

Original produced and created by Weinberger Media and Frasetti Media.

[Scott Weinberger]

Ashley Flowers is executive producer this episode.

[Kylie Lowe]

Was written and produced by Larry Israel, researched by Kate Good Cooper, edited by Ali Sierra and Phil Jean Grande. I think Chuck would approve.

[Scott Weinberger]

And Doug. Here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.

[Kylie Lowe]

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[Scott Weinberger]

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[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

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[Scott Weinberger]

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[Anna Sega Nicolasi]

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[Kylie Lowe]

Even scarier, those who text are more likely to speed and run red lights. Shockingly, 94% know it's dangerous, but do it anyway. As a parent, you can't always be in the car, but you can stay connected to their safety with Greenlight Infinity's driving reports. Monitor their driving habits, see if they're using their phone, speeding and more. These reports provide real data for meaningful conversations about safety. Plus, with weekly updates, you can track their progress over time. Help keep your teen safe. Sign up for Greenlight [e-mail] podcast.