ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — The trial of the former Aurora dentist accused of murdering his wife in 2023 continued on Friday, with a former staff member testifying, followed by an Aurora Police Detective who spent most of the day on the witness stand. Finally, James Craig's former business partner took the stand, explaining the financial situation of the dental practice.
Friday’s proceedings follow the emotional testimony of two of James Craig’s daughters on Thursday. Craig is on trial for one charge of first-degree murder, two counts of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence, two counts of solicitation to commit perjury in the first degree, and one count of solicitation to commit first-degree murder. Five of the charges were added to this case during his time in jail.
He is accused of killing his wife, Angela Craig, 43, by poisoning her workout smoothies. Her cause of death was determined to be lethal doses of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a decongestant found in over-the-counter eyedrops. She suffered through several bouts of sickness before her passing, and doctors struggled to determine why she was ill.
He was arrested on March 19, 2023. His bond was set at $10 million on June 28, 2023. That October, he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
James Craig's trial began on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
You can read Denver7's previous reporting on this trial here:
- Opening statements/day 1 - Tuesday, July 15
- Day 2 - Wednesday, July 16
- Day 3 - Thursday, July 17
Denver7 reporter Colette Bordelon is in court on Friday and we are summarizing day four of the trial, starting with this morning’s developments.
Curious texts from James Craig regarding delivery of alleged package of potassium cyanide
The day’s testimony began when prosecutors called their 21st witness, Angel Amerine, who was a dental assistant for around six months in James Craig’s Aurora office.
During that time, Amerine assisted in multiple aspects of the practice. She lived in Colorado for about 20 years and currently resides in South Carolina.
Prosecutor Osama Magrebi began asking Amerine questions about a package being delivered to the office that was of interest to James Craig. Prior testimony from other employees who worked at Summerbrook Dental Group claimed the package was labeled as potassium cyanide.
Text messages starting on March 9, 2023, between James Craig and Amerine, as well as staff group text conversations, were read to the court.
A March 10, 2023 text message exchange between James Craig and Amerine begins with James Craig writing that he was expecting "a priority package" and asking her to ensure the front door stays open. The text continued to say the package might be a small box or padded envelope.
The text conversation continues about a dental implant class at the practice before James Craig responds back to Amerine: "Any mail for me?"
Conversation again continues as Amerine asks James Craig how his wife is feeling before James Craig asks if another employee of the dental practice might know something about the package. Amerine told James Craig nothing had arrived.
Amerine then asked if it was priority mail, or if it could be in the mailbox. James Craig responded by saying he asked for tracking information, but had not received it yet.
"My guess is it would not be through the regular mail," the text from James Craig said.
Amerine said she normally does not have interactions with mail or packages at the office, and did not know what the contents of the package were.
The court was shown a March 11, 2023, group text exchange between James Craig and the staff, including Amerine.
"Can anyone come unlock the office?" James Craig asked in the group chat.
Amerine said James Craig could come by her home and pick up her key, since she did not live far from the practice and it was a weekend morning.
James Craig texted back, saying "I can come by and grab it in a little bit." The message continued to claim that James Craig was heading home to grab a clean set of clothes for Angela Craig, and requested that if any other staff members were out and about before then to unlock the back door for him.
No one else responded to the group chat, so James Craig told Amerine he would come pick up her key.
When asked by prosecutors for an explanation as to why James Craig was so persistent with the package, Amerine said he did not tell her what it was and that he simply “was acting like he wanted to pick it up.”
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On cross-examination, defense attorney Lisa Moses pointed out that James Craig made no secret about needing a key for a computer, and then a package.
“I have no idea. I didn’t discuss it with other people,” Amerine replied.
On redirect, the prosecution noted that while defense pointed out that James Craig did not attempt to hide the package, he did not reveal its contents.
Prosecutor Magrebi asked Amerine if she was ever told the package contained potassium cyanide. "No, he did not," she said on the stand.
Amerine also testified that potassium cyanide would not have been used during the dental implant class.
Angela Craig's cause of death was determined to be lethal doses of cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, a decongestant found in over-the-counter eyedrops.
At that point, Amerine was excused and the prosecution called their next witness — an Aurora police detective who spent most of Friday on the stand.
- Denver7 has extensively covered developments in this case. In the video player below, watch a recap of day 2 of the trial as witnesses testified about their suspicions regarding Angela Craig's 2023 death.
An arsenic order found in an Amazon account, allegedly connected to James Craig
Aurora Police Detective Molly Harris works in the City of Aurora’s Major Crimes Unit and has been with the department since 2019. She has more than a decade of experience in law enforcement.
Part of Harris’ work on this case included uncovering Google records associated with an email handle and Google voice phone number allegedly tied to James Craig. The Google subscriber account was Jimandwaffles@gmail.com, which linked to the name "Jim Craig" and his date of birth.
Harris testified to finding an Amazon account connected to that email address and the name "Jim Craig," which was created on February 27, 2023. The account's order history from that date showed arsenic metal was purchased and shipped the next day.
On Thursday, one of James Craig's daughters testified that while in jail, her father asked her to create a "deep fake" video of her mother, Angela Craig, claiming that she asked James Craig to order chemicals. That letter allegedly contained step-by-step instructions on how to do so — and the daughter told the jury the video was supposed to look as though it was taken on Feb. 27, 2023 — the day the Amazon account was created and the arsenic was ordered, testimony from Harris revealed.
Next, prosecutors asked Harris about the search of Summerbrook Dental Group, where a computer from exam room 9 was collected. It was the computer that another employee claimed to see James Craig using after hours on March 6, 2023.
On Friday morning, Detective Harris testified to what was found in the Google browser search history of that computer.
Harris testified that the computer history showed, "how many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human" was entered into a browser.
Later, Harris said it cannot be determined who was using the computer at the time of that search.
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Aurora dentist accused of poisoning wife allegedly solicited murder of detective
The court was presented with the following searches and dates from the full forensic examination of that computer in exam room 9. Some typos are within the searches, since that is how they were described in the courtroom.
Feb. 27, 2023 — "I there such thing as an undetectable poison"
Feb. 27, 2023 — "How to make poison from oleander"
Feb. 27, 2023 — "Is arsenic detectable"
Feb. 27, 2023 — "How many grams of pure arsenic will kill a human"
Feb. 28, 2023 — "How to make murder look like a heart attack"
Feb. 28, 2023 — "A dose of tetrahydrozoline is fatal"
March 1, 2023 — "How long does it take to die from arsenic poisoning"
March 6, 2023 — "Visine"
March 6, 2023 — "Tetrahydrozoline poisoning timeline"
Harris was then asked about what law enforcement found on Angela Craig’s personal cell phone. She was asked if Angela Craig's phone browser history showed any searches regarding poison, self-harm or depression.
“There is not,” replied Harris.
Harris testified Angela Craig’s browser history on her phone showed prior to March 6, there were searches about benign, everyday topics. Then after March 6, 2023, the searches changed.
Harris told the jury about roughly 40 searches from Angela Craig's phone in the days leading up to her death. Some of that search history is listed below, with typos that reflect what was read in court.
March 6, 2023 — "Why too. Much vitamin b"
March 6, 2023 — "Preworkout supplement made me dizzy and eyes are blurry an hour later"
March 6, 2023 — "Side effects of high blood pressure"
March 6, 2023 — "Dizziness, slow focus, tired, head pressure, hearing distortion"
March 6, 2023 — "Dizziness, trouble focusing, hearing distortion"
March 6, 2023 — "Mini seizures"
March 6, 2023 — "Cold lips"
March 6, 2023 — "Cold lips shaking"
March 6, 2023 — "Body shakes and lips go cold"
March 7, 2023 — "Can the flu cause vertigo"
March 7, 2023 — "How to treat vertigo from a cold"
March 7, 2023 — "Urgent care"
March 7, 2023 — "Nutrition label for Carnation High Protein"
March 7, 2023 — "Parker Adventist Hospital"
March 7, 2023 — "Signs of high blood sugar"
March 7, 2023 — "High blood sugar symptoms on skin"
March 8, 2023 — "Free app for blood pressure and heart rate"
March 8, 2023 — "Is there an app for monitoring vital stats I can share with a loved one"
March 9, 2023 — "Low blood pressure and diabetes"
March 11, 2023 — "Low blood pressure and diabetes"
March 14, 2023 — "Internal sugars causes"
March 14, 2023 — "Fall asleep, deep snore, internal tremors"
March 14, 2023 — "Obstructive sleep apnea"
March 14, 2023 — "Internal tremors and chills"
March 14, 2023 — "Internal medicine doctors Aurora
The last search read to the jury from Angela Craig's phone came on March 15, 2023 — the day she was declared brain-dead. Her phone revealed a search for an Emergency Room along Colfax that day.
Just before the court took its lunch break, the prosecution began asking APD detective Molly Harris questions about selected data between James and Angela Craig's phones.
Texts show marital struggles between Angela and James Craig
When court resumed after lunch, prosecutors presented a series of texts between Angela and James Craig that appeared to show personal struggles within their relationship. The texts were presented to jurors to consider motive and intent behind the crimes.
Angela Craig's name in his phone was saved as "Mom." James Craig's name in her phone was saved as "The Boy."
On Dec. 9, 2022, Angela Craig texts James Craig: "Don't come home, I don't want you here."
She continued to say, in part: "I was there you know. I was finally in that place where I could feel that maybe all of this was worth it... Then last night was bad, and I told you it was bad, and you were just going to go on your day with her. You know why you did this... you can't fix this. There's nothing left for you to break... We'll do what we need to do to get through Christmas with the kids..."
Another text from Angela Craig to James Craig said: "You had a month worth of chances to save your marriage, but what you wanted with her was more important to you than us."
Then, another that said: "I hope she was worth it."
In a text from James Craig, he tells Angela Craig in part "she was not worth it" and that he used another woman to "build up my own ego."
Angela Craig replied by writing: "Maybe her validation and admiration can fill the void your family left behind."
The following day, a text from Angela Craig to James Craig reads, in part: "... There's just so much of that going on in my head... it all ends with the realization that you could have emails, phones, Venmo accounts, and a whole life I know nothing about and there wouldn't be anything I could do about it."
James Craig responds, in part: "... I am not having an affair. I do not have secret bank accounts or Venmo accounts... I'm sorry that I suggested that we just get a divorce... I don't think we would be better off divorced, and I'm not just trying to bide my time... In fact, I hope things just keep getting better and better after Christmas... I really do want you and I want us..."
Then, a text from James Craig to Angela Craig on Dec. 22, 2022 simply said: "I love being married to you."
The next year, on Jan. 4, 2023, James Craig sent a long message to Angela. "I don't know how to respond to you moving out of our room," the text began. It continued to say, "I wish I didn't make choices and tell lies that were so dumb... I did this to myself and I did much worse than that to you... I don't know why or how on earth you would ever trust me again and that scares me... I hate that I lit our marriage on fire again and again... I don't want it to end.... I also am scared to death because if the tables were turned I don't know that I could ever trust you again..."
On Jan. 9, 2023, a text from James Craig said, in part: "... I want you to know that I'm absolutely committed to this relationship..."
On Jan. 17, 2023, another text from James Craig to Angela Craig said: "I love you. You're perfect for me and are so patient. I hope I can get better for you."
A similar text was read for the jury from Feb. 27, 2023: "I just love you so much. Thanks for being my wife."
On the first day of March, a text from James Craig's phone to Angela Craig's phone said: "I feel like I'm trying to be better every day, and every step forward comes with two steps back."
Later that day, James Craig asked Angela Craig not to tell her sister about details from a conversation the night before.
The message read, in part: "I would like to ask that you keep last night's conversation details between you and I..."
Angela Craig replied, in part: "There are always going to be things that stay between you and me... protecting you is more important than venting... I think it's time to find a therapist..."
During opening statements, prosecutors claimed that in February of 2023, Karin Cain, a dentist in Texas, met James Craig at a conference in Las Vegas and they started an "emotionally involved relationship." At the time, Cain was going through a divorce and had been separated from her husband for about a year.
After the conference, Cain and James Craig allegedly talked about seeing each other again and James Craig texted her, saying "the problem is that I might be completely in love with you after three days. And that's nuts."
In March of 2023, a text from Angela Craig's phone to James Craig's phone asked if there was anything else he wanted to tell her.
James Craig replied, in part: "There really isn't anything else to disclose... I was in Las Vegas by myself... I only want to sleep with you."
Prosecutors then presented several other lines of text from Angela Craig to James Craig, in which she describes feelings of nausea, dizziness, eye problems and one in which she told him she felt drugged.
While the text messages were presented to the court, James Craig could be seen reading them on the evidence screen.
On March 8, 2023, a text from James Craig's phone to Angela Craig's phone was sent, saying in part: "I'll need to ask you what you're hungry for and bring it to you... I'm kind of feeling a smoothie..."
On March 11, 2023, another text from James Craig phone reads, in part: "When they discharge you, I would really like to see if they would consider leaving your IV in... If we end up having to go back to the hospital, it would be nice to not have to start another line..."
After a text exchange about Clindamycin — a prescription that was photographed in the Craig home, and had a label saying it was prescribed by James Craig — Angela Craig sent a text, saying: "Thank you for taking care of me."
It appears prosecutors will argue James Craig allegedly filled the prescription capsules with poison.
Prosecutors then published emails James sent to a company for a product order he allegedly placed — oleandrin, 1 mg. The drug is used in folk medicine to treat congestive heart failure, but the National Institutes of Health notes that it "exhibits various toxicities, especially typical cardiotoxicity, which is often fatal."
On March 8, an email from the account Jimandwaffles@gmail.com was sent to the company, inquiring about an order from two nights prior. The email claimed no tracking information had been sent.
Another email from that account read, in part: "Your website says overnight delivery. I'm very disappointed that it sounds like it hasn't even shipped yet..."
The company questioned the use of the product, and the Jimandwaffles email account replied with a lengthy response explaining the need for the oleandrin.
On cross-examination, defense attorney Moses asked a series of probing questions intended to demonstrate flaws in the investigation. Those included police arriving at Summerbrook Dental Group within roughly 18 hours of Angela Craig being declared brain-dead, implying that a determination had already been made just hours into the death investigation that James Craig was the suspect. The witness, however, told Moses that James Craig was just a person of interest at the time, not a suspect.
"Why do you need potassium cyanide?"
Prosecutor Michael Mauro then called Ryan Redfearn to the witness stand, a former business partner of James Craig. His wife, Michelle Redfearn, testified in the trial previously.
Redfearn and James Craig attended the same university, and the couples were "really good friends," he testified.
His dental practice is called Fit to Smile Dental.
Redfearn and his brother formed a Dental Service Organization and wanted to recruit dentists into the organization. One of those dentists was James Craig.
In April of 2022, the official paperwork was signed, forming a business relationship between Redfearn and James Craig. James Craig joined the Fit to Smile partners group, and in exchange, they would provide management services to help run James Craig's practice, according to Redfearn.
This agreement did not mean that Redfearn bought Summerbrook Dental Group from James Craig. Redfearn said he was aware of a bankruptcy related to James Craig at the time.
Redfearn testified that a company bank account was established. Debts were paid for all practices, but like any business "sometimes certain practices are not covering their debts, so other practices would help cover that," according to Redfearn.
By the end of 2022, Redfearn said the arrangement with James Craig was not going well.
"Most months we lost money," Redfearn said.
During a meeting with James Craig, Redfearn told James Craig that he would have to take a "drastic pay reduction" and less vacation time because of the financial issues.
Redfearn said James Craig "took it better than expected."
James Craig broke down and cried about his marriage during that conversation with Redfearn.
Prosecutors then asked about the day Redfearn learned Angela Craig was "crashing" in the hospital.
While he was driving to the hospital, Redfearn testified that employees of Summerbrook Dental Group called him. On that phone call, he claimed they informed him that a package was delivered to the office, and they had reason to believe it contained potassium cyanide — which Redfearn knew was a poison.
Redfearn was in shock — both because of what he had learned, and because of the situation at the hospital. While sitting in the ICU waiting room, he told jurors he was searching online for signs and symptoms of potassium cyanide poisoning.
He passed along the information to a nurse at the hospital. Later, that same nurse beckoned Redfearn to come speak again, and introduced him to a forensic nurse. The forensic nurse and Redfearn talked for approximately 35 minutes, he estimated. After that conversation, "the significance of what was happening was even more significant," Redfearn testified.
Before the Redfearns left the waiting room, they told Angela Craig's brother about their suspicions.
The couple was sitting inside their car for roughly 20 minutes before James Craig called. The call was connected to the car speakers.
Redfearn claimed that James Craig initially asked about "disturbing news." According to Redfearn, James Craig said he heard that Redfearn spoke with someone at the hospital.
That's when Redfearn said he started asking questions about the package that was sent to James Craig's dental practice. He recalled the conversation as follows:
Redfearn: "Jim, what was in the package?"
Craig: "It's not that big of a deal."
Redfearn: "Jim, what was in the package?"
Craig: "A ring for Angie."
Redfearn: "It wasn't a ring."
Craig: "Well, it wasn't opened."
Redfearn: "Jim, it was potassium cyanide, why do you need potassium cyanide?"
Craig: "Ryan, what have you done?"
Redfearn said James Craig repeated that a few times, before he asked: "Why do you need potassium cyanide? That is not something we need in dentistry or something we practice with."
Redfearn said James Craig claimed it was a "game of chicken" he was playing with Angela Craig "because she was suicidal and couldn't buy it herself because you need certain credentials."
The next morning, Redfearn testified he received a very lengthy text from James Craig, in which James Craig asked Redfearn not to tell anyone about that discussion.
Testimony is expected to resume on Monday morning.
