How a suspicious package deal delivered to a Colorado dentist’s workplace sparked a homicide investigation

When Angela Craig went on life help on March 15, 2023, in Aurora, Colorado, police assigned a murder detective to research her case — whilst she was nonetheless alive. Three days later, and solely hours after Angela Craig was declared useless, her husband, Dr. James Craig can be arrested and charged together with her homicide. James Craig has pleaded not responsible.

The story of why police allege James Craig murdered his spouse and why police made that arrest so shortly all traces again to a package deal that police say was delivered to James Craig’s dental workplace simply 5 days earlier than Angela Craig died.

That story of the dentist, his spouse’s loss of life and that suspicious package deal is informed by contributor Natalie Morales in “Who Poisoned Angela Craig?” — an all-new “48 Hours” airing Saturday, March 23 at 10/9c on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. (Time approximate after NCAA Males’s Basketball Event.)

The Craigs married in 1999 and moved to Aurora the place they’d increase their six kids. Their lives had been steeped of their group—their church, their kids and James Craig’s dental apply, Summerbrook Dental, which was well-known in Aurora.

The podcast and the podcaster  

Steffan Tubbs, a former radio host and podcaster, first met James Craig when he was a affected person at Summerbrook Dental. So when Tubbs noticed the information in March 2023 that Dr. Craig had been arrested for Angela’s homicide, he was shocked. “I could not imagine the allegations … I could not imagine the mugshot. There’s my dentist. A mugshot,” Tubbs informed “48 Hours.”

Tubbs reported on James Craig’s arrest in his radio present, and inside days had launched a podcast to discover the alleged details of the case. In that podcast, Tubbs reviewed the 52-page arrest warrant that police launched after they charged James Craig with homicide. Tubbs stated of that warrant, “In almost 34 years of being a newsman, essentially the most unbelievable and seemingly thorough arrest affidavit I’ve ever learn.”

Tubbs had first identified James Craig as his dentist, however he obtained to know Craig higher whereas engaged on radio advertisements for Summerbrook Dental, at Tubbs’ former radio station. Tubbs had additionally met Angela Craig at these conferences and says her vitality and intelligence stood out. “She was not any person to only sit there and keep quiet. She was engaged within the dental apply,” Tubbs stated, including that Angela Craig “was any person who was speaking about concepts, and their advertising, their message.” Tubbs thought it was nice to see such a profitable household enterprise seemingly thriving in Colorado.

Angela Craig was 43 years previous when she died, and mom to these six kids with James Craig. Former staff and pals informed “48 Hours” that she had all the time appeared completely satisfied and wholesome. In that warrant, police be aware that Angela and Jim Craig had been identified to work out collectively within the mornings, and that James would make Angela a morning protein shake as a part of that each day routine.

Angela Craig’s mysterious sickness begins

Angela Craig’s medical troubles had begun on March 6, 2023, when she first began feeling sick. In line with that arrest warrant, she texted her husband that morning, writing, “I do not really feel proper in my head.” James Craig texted her again asking, “do I would like to come back residence?” and Angela Craig replied “No…that is simply bizarre. I am dizzy in my head and my eyes are working slowly and my physique is responding slowly.”

The warrant exhibits James Craig texted, “Do you get lightheaded if you rise up?” and that Angela Craig texted again, “It feels extra like I really feel once I take heavy meds and all the things adjusts and strikes slowly. Like I am transferring in thick gel. My eyes are struggling to remain targeted.” She later texted James Craig, “I really feel drugged” and shortly he did come residence and took Angela Craig to the ER.

The warrant says Angela Craig was launched from the ER that very same day however was again on the hospital three days later, this time as an admitted affected person. Angela Craig underwent a sequence of exams and coverings, however medical doctors had been nonetheless struggling to determine what was fallacious. It was throughout that second hospital go to when a curious factor occurred at Summerbrook Dental. It could grow to be a key piece of proof in a homicide investigation.

A package deal arrives

In line with the warrant, James Craig had informed his workplace supervisor that he was anticipating a “private package deal” and “to not open it.” That package deal arrived on March 13, whereas Angela Craig was nonetheless within the hospital, and, in accordance with the warrant, a workers member, not realizing about these directions, had opened it. The warrant says that the workplace supervisor, closing the field again up for Dr. Craig, noticed it contained a canister labeled “potassium cyanide.” Police say the package deal was then hand delivered to Dr. Craig.

Angela Craig was launched from her second hospital go to on March 14, the day after that package deal is alleged to have been delivered to Summerbrook Dental. She had nonetheless not been recognized however appeared properly sufficient at that second.

Sadly, that second wouldn’t final. The following morning, on March 15, 2023, Angela Craig was again within the hospital, seemingly sicker than ever. She would by no means come out.

Police say James Craig arrived on the hospital on March 15 quickly after Angela Craig however did not keep lengthy. The warrant says he quickly went residence and returned roughly an hour-and-a-half later, carrying meals. Police say he then went into Angela Craig’s room alone and that quickly after she had a seizure and her very important indicators crashed.

That is when James Craig took pictures of his spouse, sending them to their good friend Michelle Redfearn, a educated nurse married to James Craig’s enterprise associate and good friend from dental faculty, Ryan Redfearn. When the Redfearns obtained these pictures and James Craig’s textual content — that learn partly, “crash. intubated. doc says she’s ‘very very anxious'” — they raced to the hospital.

On their means, Ryan Redfearn would later inform police, he obtained a cellphone name from the workplace. That cellphone name was to alert Ryan Redfearn about that package deal marked “potassium cyanide” {that a} staffer stated had been delivered and opened. That very same worker, listening to of Angela Craig’s signs, had Googled them, and, in accordance with the warrant, was anxious Angela Craig could have been poisoned. When the worker noticed that Angela’s signs lined up with the signs for cyanide poisoning, she made a cellphone name.

After arriving on the hospital, Ryan Redfearn would later inform police he noticed James Craig crying after speaking to a health care provider. However Ryan Redfearn didn’t appear satisfied these tears had been actual. He took a nurse apart and shared the story about that package deal marked “potassium cyanide” that had been delivered to James Craig simply two days prior.

The warrant says that nurse, being a compulsory reporter, known as police and inside hours members of the murder unit from the Aurora Police Division had launched an investigation. By this time, Angela Craig was on life help, and the outlook was grim.

A cellphone name between companions

Later that very same day, the warrant says, Ryan Redfearn was with Michelle Redfearn within the hospital parking zone after they obtained a cellphone name from James Craig. Ryan Redfearn stated James Craig requested him if he had spoken to police. Ryan Redfearn informed him that he had and that he had heard about that package deal allegedly marked “potassium cyanide.”

In line with the warrant, James Craig then informed Ryan Redfearn that the package deal contained a hoop for Angela. Ryan Redfearn says he informed James Craig that somebody had opened that package deal and seen that container marked cyanide. And, in accordance with the warrant, Ryan Redfearn quickly ended that cellphone name, telling James Craig to “cease speaking and get a lawyer.”

The following morning, the warrant says, James Craig despatched Ryan Redfearn  a prolonged textual content, writing, partly: “I wish to make an pressing plea to you,” it went on “Please do not discuss to anybody … together with any legislation enforcement officers. You’re below no obligation to reply their questions except you might be served a subpoena and you’ll do extra harm than good to my household by persevering with to insert your self into this.”

In an interview with Natalie Morales, former Arapahoe County District Legal professional George Brauchler, when requested about that textual content stated, “I am making an attempt to consider all of the harmless functions of the phrase, please do not discuss to the police. I am unable to provide you with any.”

Nonetheless, as James Craig is awaiting trial, the protection has not but had the prospect to current its case to a jury. At a preliminary listening to in July 2023, Craig’s lawyer said that he had struggled with melancholy previously and had sought counseling.

Utah-based protection lawyer Skye Lazaro just isn’t part of this case, however has labored on different instances involving poison, and reviewed the information accessible on the time. Lazaro informed Morales it is attainable James Craig’s protection might argue he was on the lookout for poison to not kill Angela Craig however to kill himself. Lazaro additionally stated she thinks the protection might argue that James Craig’s arrest was rushed and that police did not take the time to discover different theories of how Angela Craig could have died, together with the likelihood that Angela could have sought to die by suicide — or that James Craig had.

Lazaro additionally famous that in that preliminary listening to, the protection emphasised that the lead detective had acknowledged that police had not but discovered proof of poison within the supplies they’d examined—together with bottles and syringes from the Craig’s residence. 

James Craig’s trial for homicide is scheduled to start on Aug. 8, 2024.

And at that trial, jurors will doubtless hear how that unintended discovery at Summerbrook Dental led to a homicide investigation and James Craig’s arrest. Brauchler informed Morales that what occurred from there “is a testomony to Ryan Redfearn” and what he informed the nurse that day.