Craig homicide trial: Daughters say mom wasn’t suicidal, had future plans

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This story discusses suicide. In case you or somebody you already know is having ideas of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Disaster Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Two of suspected killer James Craig's daughters took the stand Thursday afternoon in a Centennial, Colorado, courtroom and testified towards their father, who's accused of killing their mom over a 10-day interval in March 2023.

Craig is charged with first-degree murder within the dying of spouse Angela, who prosecutors allege died from potassium cyanide and tetrahydrozoline poisoning after an agonizing week-and-a-half out and in of the hospital.

Craig's oldest daughter testified Thursday that her mom was removed from suicidal, because the protection, led by lawyer Lisa Fantastic Moses, has recommended in the course of the trial, in keeping with KUSA .

Angela and James Craig pose for a selfie. James is accused of murdering Angela by spiking her protein shakes with potassium cyanide. (Angela N Jim Craig (Fb))

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"She would speak to me about how enjoyable it could be once I had children of my very own and when she might meet them," the daughter reportedly mentioned. "She was so excited to be a grandma."

She described Angela as her "finest good friend" and mentioned Angela had hobbies, together with woodworking and train. She additionally beloved animals, and, above all, her kids.

Craig's daughter testified that whereas her mom was in the hospital , she was pissed off she couldn't be together with her kids.

"She needed to get again dwelling," she mentioned. "She simply needed to get again to her ladies."

She instructed the jury her dad and mom struggled of their marriage a number of years earlier than the alleged homicide however mentioned issues had gotten higher earlier than Angela's dying.

The protection insisted that Angela was sad in a failing marriage, reportedly calling her a "damaged" girl with psychological well being points. Craig's attorneys have by no means disputed that Angela died by poisoning however say Craig was not accountable.

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/03/672/378/Angela-and-James-Toliver-Craig-with-children-blurred.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/03/1344/756/Angela-and-James-Toliver-Craig-with-children-blurred.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/03/931/523/Angela-and-James-Toliver-Craig-with-children-blurred.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/03/1862/1046/Angela-and-James-Toliver-Craig-with-children-blurred.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Angela Craig and Colorado dentist James Craig in a household portrait. James is charged with first-degree homicide for allegedly poisoning his spouse. (Faceboook)

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The couple's eldest daughter reportedly needed an post-mortem accomplished on Angela's physique however mentioned Craig refused.

Later, the couple's second-eldest daughter testified. She additionally mentioned her mom was not suicidal and had plans for the longer term.

"We principally talked about transferring. She at all times talked about her endlessly dwelling," she mentioned.

Angela dreamed of transferring to a house on a big plot of land with a woodworking store in 5 years or so, in keeping with the testimony.

She additionally revealed vital details about communications together with her father whereas he was in jail, notably a listing of requests made by Craig.

Upon her father's instruction, she mentioned she bailed one other inmate out of jail. That inmate then gave her a handwritten bundle of paperwork in her father's handwriting. The paperwork included directions for her to make a "deepfake" video utilizing an inexpensive burner laptop computer that she was to purchase utilizing a pay as you go Visa reward card. Craig instructed his daughter to entry the darkish internet to buy the video-making service.

Angela Craig poses for a photograph in entrance of a flower bush. Her dentist husband is on trial in Arapahoe County, Colo., for her alleged homicide. (Angela N Jim Craig/Fb)

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He additionally allegedly ordered her to add the video to a thumb drive and inform detectives she discovered the drive in her mom's bag, then to destroy the laptop computer.

Craig instructed his daughter within the paperwork that he had been untrue to Angela and that she requested him to buy the poison. He instructed his daughter that he and her mother had been enjoying a sport of hen when she unintentionally took an excessive amount of of the poison.

Craig faces a cost of solicitation to tamper with proof associated to this incident.

Former Arapahoe County prosecutor and present Colorado protection lawyer Eric Faddis, who is just not concerned with the Craig case, spoke to Fox Information Digital in regards to the essential testimony.

"It is completely a blow to the protection," he mentioned.

Faddis believes the youngsters would doubtless have identified if their mom was suicidal and that allegedly asking one among them to manufacture proof can be pointless if Craig had accomplished nothing mistaken.

Angela and James Craig pose for a photograph. Craig is accused of killing Angela by poisoning her protein shakes. (Angela N Jim Craig/Fb)

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"[Craig] reaching out and asking one of many kids to do a deep faux video that supported the notion that Angela Craig was suicidal looks as if a little bit of an act of desperation," mentioned Faddis.

"And, additionally, to contain your kids in such a means once you're confronted with a first-degree homicide cost that might even trigger these kids to be uncovered to criminal liability , it is only a horrible search for the protection."

As for the daughters' denial that their mom was suicidal, Faddis mentioned the testimony could possibly be interpreted by the jury in two methods.

"They might interpret it as, if an individual is suicidal, it is cheap to suppose that the individuals closest to them would have a way of that, together with their kids," he mentioned. "Even when the mom did not come out and say expressly that she was suicidal to her children, you'll suppose that the children might have noticed clues that an individual is likely to be suicidal, like depressive episodes, extreme crying, disengaging from life.

<source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/672/378/dentist-james-craig-murder-trial-opening-statement-006.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/1344/756/dentist-james-craig-murder-trial-opening-statement-006.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/931/523/dentist-james-craig-murder-trial-opening-statement-006.jpg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/07/1862/1046/dentist-james-craig-murder-trial-opening-statement-006.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> James Craig throughout opening arguments at his homicide trial in Arapahoe District Court docket Tuesday, July 15, 2025, Centennial, Colo. (Stephen Swofford/Denver Gazette by way of Pool)

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"I suppose the protection may argue {that a} mom might have an incentive to not speak in confidence to her kids that she is fighting suicidal ideation as a result of she does not need to fear them, and in addition, it is a very non-public, delicate matter," he mentioned. "So, if the jury sees it that means, that is likely to be somewhat extra mitigated.