James Craig, a 47-year-old Colorado dentist, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of fatally poisoning his wife, Angela Craig, in a carefully premeditated scheme that played out over 10 days in March 2023.
An Arapahoe County jury convicted Craig on multiple charges including first-degree murder, solicitation to commit murder, perjury, and evidence tampering. He was acquitted of a lesser charge related to assisted suicide.
Angela Craig, 43, began experiencing severe symptoms after consuming protein shakes prepared by her husband—shakes laced with a cocktail of toxins, including arsenic, potassium cyanide, and tetrahydrozoline, a substance found in over-the-counter eye drops. She was hospitalized on March 15, 2023, and declared brain dead three days later.
“This was a slow, calculated, and brutal killing,” said District Attorney Amy Padden. “Not only did he poison his wife over several days, but he then attempted to manipulate the investigation by enlisting others—including his own daughter—to help him fabricate evidence.”
Digital Trail Reveals Chilling Intent
Evidence presented during the trial showed Craig conducted online searches on topics like “how much arsenic will kill a person” and “undetectable poisons.” He ordered arsenic through Amazon, which was delivered to his Denver-area home on March 4. Two days later, Angela fell ill after drinking a protein shake Craig had made.
She was hospitalized twice before her final admission and death. Meanwhile, Craig continued his efforts to cover his tracks. Investigators said he asked his daughter to help him create a deepfake video of Angela in an apparent attempt to mislead law enforcement. He also allegedly plotted to kill the lead detective investigating the case.
Craig ordered potassium cyanide from a lab supply company, which was delivered to his dental office. The package was opened by a colleague, Ryan Redfearn, who later became a whistleblower after growing suspicious. Redfearn told hospital staff that Craig had purchased the toxic substance and that Angela might have been poisoned.
When confronted, Craig initially denied the cyanide’s presence, then claimed Angela had asked him to order it.
A Marriage Marred by Affairs, Deception, and Previous Drugging
Investigators uncovered a deeply troubled marriage. Angela’s sister, Toni Kofoed, told authorities that Angela had previously confided about being drugged by Craig several years earlier. Craig himself admitted to multiple affairs and a long-standing adult videos addiction. Angela had spoken about leaving him several times but never followed through.
Court documents revealed Craig was romantically involved with another woman, Karin Cain, whom he met at a dental conference in Las Vegas. While Angela was in the hospital fighting for her life, Craig exchanged intimate and explicit emails with Cain. Cain told ABC News in a 2023 interview that she had no idea he was still married and that she would not have entered a relationship had she known the truth.
Justice Delivered
Following Craig’s conviction, Judge Shay Whitaker imposed a life sentence without parole. The district attorney’s office emphasized the calculated nature of the crime and Craig’s chilling disregard for human life.
“This was no moment of madness,” Padden said. “This was a man who planned his wife’s death while courting another woman, and then tried to manipulate those around him into covering for his crime. Angela never got justice in life, but today she received it in court.”
Craig’s legal team has not yet announced whether they plan to appeal.
