Dentist slowly murdered wife by poisoning her protein shakes

James Craig wasn't only unfaithful and laden with debt, he was also a cruel killer

- WORDS: GAIL SHORTLAND

It was unusual for Angela Craig, 43, to feel sluggish and tired. She was very active and loved yoga, Pilates and her exercise bike, but in March 2023, she was convinced something was wrong.

Angela lived in Aurora, Colorado, with her husband James, who had a dental practice. They’d been married for 23 years and had six children together. Angela was used to being part of a big family - being the youngest of 10 herself.

As well as being a choir director, Angela was a consultant for her local church. Her faith had helped her through some difficult years in her marriage. James, also an elder at the church, had behaved badly, but divorce in their church is discouraged so Angela had tried hard to keep the family together.

James had been unfaithful several times and had an addiction to pornography. He’d met women through a website looking for “sugar daddies” and had showered them with attention and gifts, putting him under financial strain.

Over the years, James had made bad cryptocurrency investments and had lost $600,000 in a Ponzi scheme. His dental practice was losing $120,000 a month and he had a gambling problem. He was more than $2 million in debt. It’s not clear just how much Angela knew about his financial situation, but in March 2023, she was more concerned about her rapidly declining health.

On 6 March, James made Angela a protein shake before he went to work, after which Angela worked out but was surprised how exhausted and sick she felt. She messaged James to say she felt unwell. “My stomach feels fine, but my head feels funny and dizzy,” she said to him. She messaged family members too, saying her brain didn’t seem to want to work.

James left work to take Angela to hospital. She had tests, including an MRI, CT scan and bloodwork, but the results were normal and she was sent home.