Criminology Podcast: The Murder of Angela Craig

Episode Date: January 25, 2026
Hosts: Mike Ferguson & Mike Morford
Case: Angela Craig (Colorado, 2023)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the shocking and tragic murder of Angela Craig, a case that gripped national headlines in 2025. The case stands out for its blend of family, faith, deceit, and a chilling plot involving rare poisons and a seemingly “picture-perfect” couple. Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford explore the twists and motives, investigative breakthroughs, and the dark psychology of the perpetrator, Angela’s husband James Craig.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Picture-Perfect Life Turned Nightmare

• Background (05:03):
  James and Angela, married since 2000, had six children and were active in their Denver LDS community. James was a dentist, with Angela as his office manager. Publicly, they appeared enviable.
  • “Some people might describe the Craig family as literally picture perfect, with huge smiles, full of straight white teeth. Part of that was not just because they were happy, but James was a dentist.” (05:03, Mike Ferguson)
• Turning Point:
  Angela, age 43, suddenly began experiencing serious and unexplained health issues in March 2023.

2. Angela’s Mysterious Illness and Death

• Medical Mystery (06:05 – 07:59):
  Angela’s physical decline was rapid. Multiple ER visits and tests found nothing wrong. She returned home, worsened, then was readmitted, seizured, became brain dead, and passed away on March 18, 2023.
  • “Just three hours after she was admitted, she had a severe seizure and was moved into the intensive care unit. She would never recover.” (07:01, Mike Ferguson)
• Grief vs. Suspicion:
  James quickly refused an autopsy, raising red flags for Angela’s family.
  • “...if they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her when she was alive, he wouldn’t let them poke her more when she was dead.” (09:18, Mike Morford, paraphrasing James’ comments)

3. Early Alarm Bells: Friends and Staff Take Action

• Unusual Behavior and Suspicions (11:46 – 13:11):
  • James’s business partner, Ryan Redfern, confronted him about Angela’s illness; James responded evasively.
  • Staff noticed James instructing not to open a specific package.
• Discovery of Cyanide (13:11):
  • The package was accidentally opened by staff—it contained potassium cyanide, a poison never used in dentistry at their practice.
  • Office manager Kaitlin Romero recognized cyanide poisoning symptoms matched Angela’s, alerting medical staff and police, possibly before Angela died.

4. Mounting Evidence Against James Craig

• Financial and Marital Troubles (20:29):
  • Bankruptcies, gambling losses, and mounting debt.
  • History of affairs and porn addiction.
• Purchasing Poisons:
  • Police found purchases of arsenic, cyanide, and oleandrin—all rare deadly substances.
• James’s Defense:
  • He claimed Angela was suicidal and he was “playing chicken” with her, but no medical or family evidence supported this.

5. The Search History: “How to Make Murder Look Like a Heart Attack”

• Incriminating Internet Activity (25:43 – 27:42):
  • Searches included “how to make murder look like a heart attack,” “is arsenic detectable in an autopsy,” “how many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human?”, “where can I buy arsenic?”
  • YouTube searches for “Top five Undetectable Poisons that Show no Signs of Foul Play.”
    • “I'm always shocked that people do not understand how their Google search...is not going to, at some point later in time, be revealed...” (27:15, Mike Ferguson)

6. The Other Woman, Deceit, and Secret Emails

• Meeting Karen Kane (29:17 – 36:09):

  • James began an affair with orthodontist Karen Kane after meeting in Las Vegas, lying that he was about to be divorced.
  • Wildly intensive relationship: 4,000+ texts in three weeks, secret Gmail account (James used real identity).
  • After Angela’s death, James was caught in a hotel room with Karen.

• Prior Drugging Incident (36:09 – 38:38):

  • Around 2018, James drugged Angela, admitted it, and Angela felt dismissed as suicidal by hospital staff.
    • “Just for the record, I didn't drug you.” (37:27, Mike Morford, mocking incredulity at the normalcy of the text)

7. The Cruel End and Aftermath

• Final Days & James's Coldness (39:11):

  • While Angela was fighting for life, James took photos to send to his mistress, continued seeing Karen, and made funeral arrangements with her.
  • “...these were not the actions of grieving loving husband.” (39:11, Mike Ferguson)

• Additional Affairs & Behavior:

  • On the same business trip where James met Karen, he also hired sex workers and saw another woman, Carrie Hagseth, with a pay-for-sex arrangement.

8. Attempts to Cover Up and Further Crimes

• From Jail:

  • Offered $20,000 for the murder of lead detective Bobby Olsen.
  • Tried to bribe inmates to forge journals/letters painting Angela as suicidal and asked his own daughter to create a deepfake video.
    • “At one point, James actually tried to ask one of his daughters to create a deep fake video of Angela saying that she wanted to be poisoned.” (42:50, Mike Morford)

• Continued Manipulation:

  • Sent manipulative letters to Karen from jail; she burned them and later told him to stop contacting her.

9. The Trial and Conviction

• Evidence Presented (48:57):

  • Digital forensics, poison purchases, history of drugging, financial motive (multi-million dollar life insurance), affairs, and cell footage implicating James injecting into Angela’s IV during her hospital stay.

  • James’s defense argued “tunnel vision” by police; jury did not buy it.

  • Outcome:

    • July 30, 2025: James Craig found guilty of first-degree murder, multiple counts of solicitation (murder, tampering, perjury), sentenced to life without parole.

  • “In the end, James inflicted a cruel and agonizing death upon his wife and shattered his family in the process.” (52:00, Mike Morford)

10. Victim Impact and Reflection

• Family Pain:
  • Oldest daughter at sentencing:
    • “I was supposed to be able to trust my dad... will forever be the villain in my book.” (50:41, paraphrased)
• Hosts’ Reactions:
  • Mike and Morph repeatedly reference James’s narcissism and lack of remorse.
  • Both discuss how the vigilance and action of coworkers, family, and medical staff was essential to bringing him to justice.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“It was almost like there was a neon sign above this guy's head that said murderer.”

• Mike Morford (49:57)

"Just for the record, I didn't drug you."

• Mike Ferguson & Mike Morford, incredulous at the banality of the text James sent Angela (37:27–37:38)

“If your wife dies mysteriously, suddenly, and lo and behold, the husband received poison in the mail and didn’t want an autopsy, red flags are jumping out all over the place to me...”

• Mike Ferguson (18:12)

“[James] is living in some kind of fantasy universe here where he can just do all these things and nothing else is going to happen.”

• Mike Ferguson (45:18)

“One of the most heartbreaking aspects... Angela went to the hospital three times. There were chances for her to survive and chances for someone to figure out what James was doing before he was able to kill her. But because the chemicals he used were so rare, it was missed.”

• Mike Ferguson (50:41)

“There's got to be a special place in hell for people like James Craig.”

• Mike Morford (55:33)

Important Segment Timestamps

| Time | Segment/Topic | |--------|---------------| | 05:03 | Introduction to Angela and James Craig’s background | | 06:05 | Angela’s sudden illness and hospital visits | | 09:18 | James’s suspicious refusal of autopsy | | 13:11 | Discovery of potassium cyanide at the dental office | | 20:29 | Discovery of multiple poison purchases and financial motive | | 25:43 | Incriminating search history revealed | | 29:17 | Affair with Karen Kane and aftermath of Angela’s death | | 36:09 | Evidence of prior drugging, psychological manipulation | | 42:50 | Plotting from jail: hiring hitmen, framing Angela, deepfakes | | 48:57 | Trial evidence, guilty verdict, sentencing | | 50:41 | Victim impact statements, tragic “what-ifs” | | 55:02 | Hosts discuss possibility Craig could have escaped justice | | 56:40 | Final reflections on the case |

Summary & Takeaways

• James Craig’s methodical, calculated, and self-centered murder of his wife Angela Craig shows classic signs of narcissism, entitlement, and sociopathic disregard for others—including his own children.
• The case demonstrates the importance of attentive friends, family, and colleagues in speaking up; swift action from Angela’s coworkers and brother helped expose the crime.
• The evidence—digital, physical, testimonial—was overwhelming, leading to a swift and decisive guilty verdict.
• The tragedy rippled through the Craig family, especially their children, and left listeners pondering how close James came to covering up his crime, had hospital staff and authorities not acted.

For further discussion, the hosts encourage listeners to join the Criminology Podcast Facebook group or visit criminologypodcast.com.