ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — The woman in a relationship with the Aurora dentist who was arrested in March on accusations of murdering his wife spoke for the first time Wednesday in an ABC News exclusive.
In an arrest affidavit unsealed shortly after his arrest, authorities suggested James Craig murdered his wife to be with another woman. But that woman — Karin Cain — said their connection was built on lies.
When Cain, a Texas orthodontist, met Craig at a dental conference last February, she wasn't looking for love. She was in the process of getting a divorce from her husband of almost 30 years.
"We met on a Thursday and then went home on Saturday. So we spent Thursday evening getting to know each other, and then we texted until 4 a.m. that night," Cain said. "Then the next day, we spent pretty much the day together."
They seemed to have shared values: A strong faith, their children were their No. 1 priority, and both seemed to be in a similar place. Cain said Craig told her he was also deep in the divorce process.
"He told me they hadn't been living together. He had an apartment," Cain said.
After the conference, the two remained in constant contact.
"It was just consistent from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.," Cain said. "There was a lot of just feeling so connected."
Pretty soon, the two were making plans for Cain to visit Craig in Colorado. She said an initial trip fell through and was rescheduled.
The day before Cain arrived in Denver, Angela Craig's health took a horrific turn: She suffered a seizure, was put on life support and was not expected to survive.
"Originally, it was like, 'Maybe I shouldn't really even come.' He was like, 'I could really use the support,'" Cain explained.
The two met for dinner twice.
"He, at no point, seemed stressed or anxious. I mean, really, I had to drag it out of him like, 'Are you sure you're okay?' because he seemed okay, Cain said.
But all was not okay.
Soon after, Angela was pronounced dead, James Craig was arrested on charges of first-degree murder, and what she hoped was a promising new romance had ended with her pulled into a tragic investigation, in which she was questioned by police.
Her initial disbelief turned to shock when she read the arrest affidavit.
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Affidavit: Aurora dentist purchased cyanide, arsenic before wife's death
The allegations in the documents show that within days of Craig meeting Cain, he started researching potassium cyanide and was buying deadly poisons.
"It wasn't until the media started reporting on it that I realized the timeline was so tight, that it was two days after we had left that meeting," Cain said.
Some are calling Cain Craig's "mistress," but she rejects the label.
"I didn't willingly have a relationship with somebody who was in a marriage," Cain said. "If I had known what was true, I would not have been with this person."
She asserted the two were in a relationship for approximately three weeks and never consummated the relationship. When asked if she thought Craig allegedly poisoned his wife so he could be with her, Cain said, "There's no way I'm motive. There's been no planning a future together."
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Cain lamented how this tragedy will impact the six children James and Angela shared. Angela's family remembers her as being a fiercely devoted parent and friend.
"I can't even imagine the loss of a family member and then to consider that it could be at the hands of someone that had been in the family for 25 years," Cain said.
