When Angela Craig went on life support on March 15, 2023, in Aurora, Colorado, police assigned a homicide detective to investigate her case — even as she was still alive. Three days later, and only hours after Angela Craig was declared dead, her husband, Dr. James Craig would be arrested and charged with her murder. James Craig has pleaded not guilty.

The story of why police allege James Craig murdered his wife and why police made that arrest so quickly all traces back to a package that police say was delivered to James Craig's dental office just five days before Angela Craig died.

That story of the dentist, his wife's death and that suspicious package is told 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 Men's Basketball Tournament.)

The Craigs married in 1999 and moved to Aurora where they would raise their six children. Their lives were steeped in their community—their church, their children and James Craig's dental practice, Summerbrook Dental, which was well known in Aurora.

The audio show and the audio creator

Steffan Tubbs, a former radio host and creator of an audio show, first crossed paths with James Craig during a visit to Summerbrook Dental. When Tubbs learned in March 2023 about Dr. Craig's arrest in connection to Angela's murder, he was taken aback. "I couldn't wrap my head around the accusations... I couldn't fathom the mugshot. There was my dentist. In a mugshot," Tubbs shared with "48 Hours."

Tubbs initially knew James Craig as his dentist, but their relationship deepened as Tubbs worked on audio advertisements for Summerbrook Dental during his time at a previous radio station. Tubbs had the opportunity to meet Angela Craig during these interactions and was impressed by her vibrant personality and intellect. "She wasn't one to sit back quietly. She actively participated in the dental practice," Tubbs mentioned, noting that Angela Craig "was someone who discussed ideas, their marketing strategies, and their message." Tubbs found it inspiring to witness a successful family business flourishing in Colorado.

Angela Craig, a mother of six children, passed away at the age of 43. Former colleagues and friends shared with "48 Hours" that Angela had always appeared content and in good health. According to a police warrant, Angela and James Craig were known to exercise together in the mornings, with James preparing a protein shake for Angela as part of their daily routine.

The onset of Angela Craig's mysterious illness

Angela Craig's health issues began on March 6, 2023, when she started feeling unwell. As per the arrest warrant, she texted her husband in the morning, expressing, "I don't feel right in my head." James Craig responded, asking if he should come home, to which Angela replied, "No...this is just strange. I'm feeling dizzy and my eyes and body are moving slowly."

The warrant details James Craig asking, "Do you feel lightheaded when you stand up?" and Angela responding, "It's more like the sensation when I'm on heavy medication and everything moves slowly. Like I'm wading through thick gel. I'm struggling to focus my eyes." Subsequently, she messaged James, "I feel like I'm under the influence of drugs," leading him to return home and take her to the emergency room.

The Mysterious Package

Angela Craig, after being released from the ER, found herself back in the hospital three days later as an admitted patient. Despite undergoing numerous tests and treatments, doctors were unable to determine the cause of her illness. It was during this second hospital visit that a peculiar incident occurred at Summerbrook Dental, which would later become a critical piece of evidence in a murder investigation.

James Craig had informed his office manager about an expected "personal package" that was not to be opened. The package arrived on March 13 while Angela Craig was still hospitalized. Unaware of the instructions, a staff member opened the package, revealing a canister labeled "potassium cyanide." The office manager, upon realizing the contents, resealed the box and handed it to Dr. Craig, as stated in the warrant.

Angela Craig was discharged from her second hospital stay on March 14, appearing to be in better condition. However, her health took a turn for the worse the following morning, March 15, 2023, when she was readmitted to the hospital. Tragically, she never recovered.

James Craig rushed to the hospital on March 15, shortly after Angela Craig's arrival, but left briefly. Upon his return with food, he entered Angela Craig's room alone. Shortly after, she experienced a seizure and her vital signs plummeted.

James Craig proceeded to take photos of his wife and sent them, along with a text message containing alarming information, to their friend Michelle Redfearn, a trained nurse married to Ryan Redfearn, James Craig's business partner and friend from dental school. The Redfearns, upon receiving the photos and message, hurried to the hospital.

While en route, Ryan Redfearn received a call from the office regarding a package labeled "potassium cyanide" that had been delivered and opened. An employee, concerned after researching Angela Craig's symptoms online, suspected poisoning and contacted authorities.

The Hospital Incident

Upon reaching the hospital, Ryan Redfearn noticed James Craig in tears after a conversation with a doctor. However, Ryan Redfearn was skeptical of the authenticity of these tears. He pulled a nurse aside and disclosed the recent delivery of a package labeled "potassium cyanide" to James Craig just two days earlier.

A Suspicious Phone Call

Later that day, while in the hospital parking lot with Michelle Redfearn, Ryan Redfearn received a phone call from James Craig. During the call, James Craig inquired if Ryan Redfearn had spoken to the police. Ryan Redfearn confirmed that he had, mentioning the package allegedly containing "potassium cyanide."

Allegedly, James Craig then claimed that the package actually held a ring intended for Angela. Ryan Redfearn informed James Craig that the package had been opened, revealing the cyanide marking. Subsequently, Ryan Redfearn terminated the call, advising James Craig to seek legal counsel.

The morning after, the warrant details how James Craig sent Ryan Redfearn a lengthy text message, pleading, "I want to make an urgent plea to you," and continued, "Please don't talk to anyone … including any law enforcement officers. You are under no obligation to answer their questions unless you are served a subpoena and you will do more damage than good to my family by continuing to insert yourself into this."

During an interview with Natalie Morales, former Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler, when questioned about the text, remarked, "I'm trying to think of all the innocent applications of the phrase, please don't talk to the police. I can't come up with any."

However, as James Craig awaits trial, the defense has not yet presented its case to a jury. During a preliminary hearing in July 2023, Craig's attorney disclosed that he had battled with depression previously and had sought counseling.

Although Utah-based defense attorney Skye Lazaro is not involved in this case, she has experience with cases involving poison and reviewed the available records at the time. Lazaro suggested to Morales that James Craig's defense might argue he was seeking poison not to harm Angela Craig but to harm himself. Additionally, Lazaro mentioned that the defense could propose that James Craig's arrest was rushed, and authorities did not thoroughly explore other possibilities surrounding Angela Craig's death, such as the potential that Angela may have intended to take her own life — or that James Craig had.

During the preliminary hearing, Lazaro highlighted that the defense pointed out the lead detective's admission that no evidence of poison had been found in the tested materials, including bottles and syringes from the Craig's residence.

The murder trial of James Craig is set to commence on August 8, 2024.

When the trial convenes, the jury is expected to learn how a chance discovery at Summerbrook Dental triggered a murder inquiry and led to the arrest of James Craig. Brauchler informed Morales that the subsequent events were a result of Ryan Redfearn's actions and his interaction with the nurse on that fateful day.