James Craig, a former dentist from Aurora, Colorado, stands accused in a deadly poisoning case. Prosecutors assert that he fatally poisoned his wife of 23 years, Angela Craig, by lacing her protein shakes and even medication with lethal toxins—specifically cyanide, arsenic, and tetrahydrozoline (an ingredient found in over‑the‑counter eye drops)—in March 2023. After weeks of unexplained dizziness, vomiting, and fainting across multiple hospital visits, Angela died on March 18, 2023, following a seizure and removal of life support.
Prosecutors laid out their case during opening statements on July 15, 2025, in Arapahoe County court, presenting evidence of Craig’s motive—including marital infidelity and serious financial distress—as well as premeditation, such as his online searches (“how to make murder look like a heart attack,” “is arsenic detectable in an autopsy”) and his purchase of cyanide and arsenic under false pretenses. Prosecutors introduced security footage of Angela confronting her husband about being labeled suicidal to medical staff—a confrontation they argue undermines any claim she was suicidal in reality.
Witness testimony has brought additional disturbing elements. Angela’s teenage daughter testified that Craig recruited her to fabricate a “deepfake” video falsely depicting Angela requesting poison, providing detailed instructions via a handwritten letter—including directions to buy a prepaid laptop, use a dark‑web browser, plant videos in her mother’s belongings, and submit it to investigators before destroying the evidence. Experts and legal analysts have agreed that testimony from both daughters—who vigorously denied that Angela was suicidal and described her as a loving, hopeful mother—is particularly harmful to Craig’s defense.
Other trial details include: romantic partners and coworkers testified Craig had multiple affairs, including one with a Texas dentist, and was romantically involved with other women met on Seeking.com, to whom he gave thousands of dollars in gifts. One testified he joked about “purging” his wife if that scenario existed in real life. The office manager, Caitlin Romero, recounted spotting Craig working late in the dental exam room and later seeing a suspiciously labeled package delivered—containing potassium cyanide—to the office addressed to “Jim Craig – Personal” with biohazard markings. She connected the delivery to Craig’s subsequent online research and Angela’s symptoms.
Medical expert testimony confirmed Angela’s blood contained acute cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, and elevated arsenic levels, consistent with intentional poisoning. A toxicologist from UCHealth described her condition as rapidly worsening and unexplainable by natural causes, triggering suspicion of poisoning. Craig is also charged with solicitation to commit murder (via courthouse inmate schemes to kill the lead investigator) and solicitation to tamper with evidence and perjury, stemming from his efforts to manipulate testimony and stage a false narrative through others while in jail.
The defense disputes that Craig poisoned Angela. They contend the investigation was flawed and driven by bias, argue Angela may have taken her own life, and question the credibility of jailhouse informants and the reliability of evidence like the alleged deepfake scheme. The defense acknowledged Craig had affairs but insisted they were known to Angela and not motive for murder, describing Angela as mentally fragile but not suicidal.
As of now, Craig—aged 47—remains in custody with bond set at $10 million, having pleaded not guilty to counts including first-degree murder, solicitation to commit perjury, tampering with evidence, and solicitation to commit murder. The jury is expected to hear more testimony over several weeks before deliberating.