Hidden True Crime - James Craig Gets DESTROYED in Closing Arguments | Day 11 Recap

Episode Date: July 30, 2025

After Weeks of Shocking Testimony, It All Comes Down to This. The prosecution says James Craig was a calculating killer. The defense says he was a broken man in a broken marriage. Today, both sides gave their final word—and the jury is now deliberating. Was Angela Craig's death a tragic suicide… or cold-blooded murder? The verdict is coming. We break it all down. About Hidden True Crime: What started as a simple conversation at their dinner table became a captivating podcast. Join the dynamic duo of Dr. John Matthias, a criminal psychologist, and Lauren Matthias, an investigative journalist, as they delve into the psychological facets of unthinkable crimes every week. Their unique perspectives and in-depth analysis offer a fresh take on true crime storytelling. Thank you for your support through sponsorships, subscribing, listening, and becoming a Patreon member at Patreon.com/HiddenTrueCrime Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Hello, everyone. What a day. Because today's the day. closing argument in the James Craig trial. The man accused and charged with poisoning his wife of 23 years with arsenic and cyanide and tetrahydrozzoline and oleander. And after weeks of testimony and evidence, it is now up to the jury to decide whether James Craig is guilty of murdering his wife, Angela.

We are on verdict watch. Before the attorneys made their final pitches, the judge read the jury instructions reminding them of something really important. Charges are not the same as proof just because James was accused. Doesn't mean he did it. Each count is simply an allegation and it's a jury's job to decide if the evidence supports guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. James is facing six felony charges, first-degree murder tied to the events between March 5th and 21, 2023, two counts of solicitation to tamper with evidence, two counts of solicitation to commit perjury, and one count of solicitation to commit murder, connected to things he allegedly did in October and

November of 2024. James denied that he murdered Angela. According to him, he ordered the poisons, but he claims it was at Angela's request and that she was one who wanted them. He also insists that he never gave her the poisons himself. The judge reminded the jury that James is presumed innocent unless they are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that James is guilty. That's the burden the prosecution carries. And beyond a reasonable doubt doesn't mean absolute certainty. It just means the evidence must make it highly probable that he committed the crime. Each charge against James has to be considered separately. He's facing multiple felony accounts, and the jury could find him guilty on some, all or none of them.

The judge also reminded the jury that more witnesses doesn't equal more truth. It's not about quantity. It's about quality of the testimony. They're allowed to believe all part or none of what any witness said, and that includes expert witnesses, expert witnesses who aren't given any special weight just because of their title. And one of those expert witnesses, by the way, is Garrett Lord. He used a visual aid, Exhibit 79B, but the jury was told they can only,

consider what exhibit alongside his actual testimony. So that exhibit that Garrett Lord used, only used with his testimony. It's not evidence on its own. And so when it comes to credibility, jurors were told that they can take into account, take some things into account if a witness has a past felony conviction, but it's totally up to them to decide how much that matters. How much does the conviction of the witness matter to the juror? And does it affect what they believe? And also, James did not testify, and it cannot be used against him that he didn't testify. It's not evidence.

If you wanted to hear from James Craig himself, that's not evidence. It cannot be used against him. And jurors are not allowed to consider it when making their decision. Both direct and circumstantial evidence are fair game. Direct evidence is something a witness saw or heard. And circumstantial evidence means the facts suggest something likely happened. One isn't more reliable than the other. It all comes down to how convincing it is.

Some exhibits had redactions, things blacked out by court order, and jurors were instructed not to guess what was removed. Luckily, I'm not there because I would be like trying to do, you know, try to figure out what those meant. But they can't. The jurors can't. Even if you're tempted to do that on your own when you get those FOIA docs, the jury cannot. They can only weigh what they were actually shown. And there were also a few facts that both

sides agreed to ahead of time. And those are what's called judicial notice or stipulations. So one key example, that a certain letter, Exhibit 44, was received at James Craig's parents' house shortly after it was postmarked on March 18, 2024. And the jury had to accept that as fact. There were three topics that came up during the trial that the judge said can only be considered for very specific reasons. The evidence about James's extramarital affairs, that was admitted only to help establish potential motive or intent. And the same goes for the previous alleged drugging incident, only for motive or intent. And finally, any references to financial struggles or bankruptcy also only to help explain possible motive, nothing more. To convict James of anything,

the jury has to find two things that he committed a voluntary act and that he had the culpable mental state. In other words, it's not enough that he did something. It has to be proven that he did with the right state of mind, and that has to be shown beyond a reasonable doubt. The judge broke down four possible mental states that could apply in this case. One, intentional. He meant to cause the result. Two, knowing. In other words, he was aware his actions were likely to cause it. Three, reckless. He ignored a clear and obvious risk. Four, negligent.

He failed to notice a serious risk that most people would have recognized. Now, based on those mental states, the jury can only convict James of one of the following four charges, and not more than one. First degree murder, second degree murder, manslaughter, or criminally negligent homicide. So they have to do one or the other, not more than that. So let's break down first degree murder specifically. To convict him of that, jurors must agree on six key elements, all proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Number one, that the defendant is Dr. Craig, okay? Number two, that the crime happened in Colorado.

Number three, that he acted after deliberation. And number four, that he had the intent to kill. Number five, that the intent was directed at Angela Kreck. And six, that his actions actually did indeed cause her death. So even if one of those elements isn't proven beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury has to move on to the next possible charge. Those lesser included offenses go down the ladder of intent. First, second degree murder.

What does that mean? It means that he knowingly caused her death. manslaughter means he acted recklessly. Criminally negligent homicide means he should have known better but didn't. And again, jurors may only convict him of one of those four homicide charges. If none of them are proven beyond a reasonable doubt, they must acquit. Let's talk about the other serious charges, though, that James is facing beyond just the murder counts. First up, solicitation to tamper with evidence.

For the jury to convict on this charge, the prosecution has to prove that James tried to get someone else through his words or actions to change, fake, or present false evidence in a felony case. And it cannot just be speculation. His intent has to be backed up by the circumstances surrounding it. Then there's solicitation to commit perjury. That means James is accused of urging someone to lie under oath, knowing the statement was fault and doing it specifically to influence a legal process. And again, the jury has to find intent and that he acted on it. Now, the most serious of the solicitation charges solicitation to commit first-degree murder. This requires a few key things. The prosecution has to show that James truly intended

for someone else to carry out a killing and that he took steps to persuade them to do it. His words, his behaviors, and the surrounding facts all need to point in the same direction. And for this charge to really stick, the jury has to believe, beyond a reasonable doubt that James or someone else in Colorado acted after deliberation with the intent to cause someone's death and that the death actually happened. Now, separate from all of that, James also faces a manslaughter charge, but this one's a little different. It's related to the claim that he may have helped Angela take her own life. So in this case, the prosecution must prove that James intentionally caused or helped cause Angela's suicide. It's a distinct charge from murder.

with its own legal threshold. So between all of these charges, tampering, perjury, murder for hire, and even assisting suicide, the jury has a lot to weigh. And for every single one, the standard remains the same, proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Now, it was finally the time for the state to deliver its closing argument, and prosecutor Morrow did not hold back. He began by reminding the jury of one simple truth. Angela Craig was innocent. And from there, he laid out what he called three false narratives that James Craig has tried to push. Narrative one, that this was suicide, that Angela wanted to die and she killed herself. Mara pointed out that James knew Ryan Redfern had already confronted him,

that the house was no longer accessible, that the clindomice in bottle and syringe might be discovered. But as Maro said, the devil is in the details, and James simply couldn't keep those details straight. Narrative two, the so-called game of chicken. James told Ryan that there was a ring in the package he ordered. And then later, of course, he switched his story and he admitted that it was poison, but tried to pass it off as a part of a twisted suicide pact.

He told his daughter that her mother didn't mean to kill herself and that it was an accident and she was just took too much. And then he allegedly tried to round up people to say Angela had been trying to set him up, making James, making it look like James himself was trying, like he was trying to hurt her so she could gain leverage in a divorce. So which one is it, James? But here's the thing, as Maro told the juror, none of these stories line up.

All of these explanations, Maro stated, can't be true and none of them are true. According to the prosecution, the core of James' story never made sense. In every version, he supposedly tells Angela he wanted a divorce, and she either can't or won't accept it. And from that point on,

we're expected to believe they enter into this super secret suicide pact. He goes to Vegas, comes home, tells her again that he wants to end the marriage. She threatens to kill herself. And after begging her not to for about 16 hours, he suddenly decides to help her go through with it. He says he didn't actually want her to die. He just wanted to help her. But to the state, this wasn't help. It was homicide. And the web of changing stories only made that more clear. The prosecution says this wasn't just a crime of It was a calculated plan fueled by three powerful motives. First, James Craig wanted out of his marriage but didn't want the fallout of a divorce.

As Prosecutor Morrow put it, he was done with the marriage, but not willing to go through a divorce. He wanted out, but clean. James had been stuck in a toxic cycle for years, cheating, apologies, apologizing, starting over until he was finally ready to walk away. But he didn't want to give up half of his money. He told his mistress Carrie that he couldn't get divorced. And yet, in 2023, he actually talked Angela out of getting a divorce. Why? Well, according to the state, it was because he had another plan.

The second motive, his image. James Craig didn't want to be seen as the guy who walked out on his wife and six kids to chase other women. That wouldn't look good, especially in his LDS church community. But a grieving husband, oh, that's much more sympathetic, a much more sympathetic. a much more sympathetic role. And the third motive, control. When things start unraveling, James allegedly tried to spin a new story that Angela was setting him up. He asked William Walden to find women who'd testified that they were having affairs with him,

and he'd repeat that set up story in letters to Nate's ex-wife, Kasi, begging her to help prove it. But it didn't stop there. James allegedly asked a fellow inmate, Casey Bowhannon, to plant fake journals, meaning to be discovered. These journals meant to be discovered by members of his church and later introduced as evidence in court. Morrow told the jury it was a setup. He wanted false evidence injected into the trial through others. James also had a hit list from behind bars. Yes, let's not forget the hit list. Inmate Nathaniel Harris testified that James asked him to kill four people at the top of the list. Lead detective Bobby Joe Olson. Another name on the last.

list, Roger Crittenden, a fellow inmate. Prosecutors say Craig viewed certain witnesses as threats, and he wanted them gone. Letters recover from jail showed not just resentment, but motive and planning. Even after his arrest, the state says James didn't stop trying to manipulate the outcome. He just changed his tactics. Marrow explained that the jury is now tasked with deliberating on seven separate counts? Count one, the most serious. They'll have to choose between four possible outcomes. Again, first-degree murder, second-degree murder, manslaughter, or criminally negligent homicide. And the prosecution was clear. There is no doubt this was intentional and deliberate. Morrow reminded this jury. This wasn't a reckless moment. James didn't just snap. He researched,

he purchased and administered poisons over the course of 10 days. That's not negligence. That's intent. And it came after deliberation. And about the manslaughter count related to suicide, Maro said plainly, we didn't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that this was a suicide because Angela didn't kill herself. So on that charge, the state is asking for a not guilty verdict. Then Maro addressed the defensive strategy head on. He told jurors, you can't speculate a doubt into existence. There's no witness saying Angela had some hidden laptop or a secret iPad where she searched poisons. What if there's one more search, one more device? That's not evidence. He said that's fiction. Now, yes, the defense isn't required to put on any case at all, but they chose to present evidence.

They brought in Angela's journals hoping to suggest. She was suicidal. But what that journal really revealed, according to Mara, was the opposite. It showed Angela Craig was resilient, thoughtful, hopeful, and deeply rooted in her faith. Over and over again, she tried to find light in the darkest moments. She forgave. She moved forward. She had more children. She made her life work. Maro called her the ultimate marathon runner, someone who endured betrayal, heartbreak, and manipulation for years. But in the end, he said, even her strength could not outrun what happened inside university hospital. This wasn't an accident.

It wasn't suicide. The state says this was murder, deliberate, planned, and cruel. When Angela found out that James had gone to Montana with another woman, Elizabeth Gore, she told her sister Tony that she was done. She was going to leave him after Christmas. She was prepared. She was willing. She was ready to get a divorce.

But James, what did he do? He talked her out of it. He didn't come clean. Instead, he lied. He convinced Angela, it wasn't what she thought that it wasn't sexual, that nothing had happened. She wanted to believe him. She told Tony, it wasn't what I thought. That's what she told her sister, Tony. But Tony knew that it was, and now we do too. They talked about divorce, but James kept steering her away from it, saying he didn't want one, and that maybe things would get better after the holidays. But then came Carrie. Angela found out about her too. And once again, James doubled down on the lies. He told Carrie to back him up to claim the relationship wasn't physical. And to Angela, he spun a new version of the same old story. He said, I hate that I lit our marriage on fire again and again, he told her. I want to find a way forward with you. To Carrie, though, He called it damage control. He admitted he wanted out, but not through divorce, he said. I'm not happy.

I can't get divorced right now. That, the state says, might be the one and only honest things James Craig ever said. So the question is, why not just get divorced? Simple. He didn't want to face the financial consequences. And then just days later, the pressure ramps up. His business partner, Ryan Redfern slashes his pay and demands more hours. James's life was starting to close in around him.

And that's when he reached out to Carrie for help with what he called his shitty problem. He told her about the purge. And he told her that he wished he could poison Angela with no consequences, just like the movie. According to his own timeline in Vegas, he met another woman, Karen Kane. And this relationship, Maro said, was different. There was no financial arrangement like the sugar babies. Karen actually liked him. She wouldn't sleep with him or be with him unless he was truly single. That wasn't the case with the women he had met on seeking arrangements. Those women were put off by his over-the-top gestures, but Karen, she reciprocated. She believed that they were in love. And James, he was convincing. But even if Karen was different, Angela was still the same obstacle. The one thing standing between him and the life he wanted. So what did he do?

He got home from Vegas and he immediately got to work. He started researching poisons. He ordered arsenic while Angela completely unaware was at home in the kitchen, living her life, trusting her husband. She wasn't planning her own death. She wasn't involved in any secret suicide pact. She had no idea what James was plotting. And the reason for the rush, Karen was supposed to come visit.

James had a date and he wasn't going to miss it. Angela Craig wasn't just collateral damage. She was, in James's eyes, a problem that needed solving. As James begins plotting, his internet search history reveals exactly where his mind was. How to make murder look like a heart attack. Not how to make suicide look like a heart attack, not how to help someone through a suicidal crisis, all while telling Angela that he wants to work on their marriage.

He says, I don't want you to feel like you're the only one clawing to keep this relationship together, he tells her. I really was in Las Vegas by myself, he insists. But it's all lies. He's still talking to Elizabeth Gore. He's still messaging women on seeking arrangements. Now he's with Karen and he's covering his tracks. Angela, meanwhile, goes on what turns out to be her final vacation, a trip to Utah.

She didn't know it would be her last. She was making plans with Tony. Dreaming about another getaway to Rhode Island. They shared a love for history and travel from the next adventure. But according to James, that was just manipulation. He says now that Angela was pretending to plan a trip, she knew would never happen. That was the story he chose to push. While Angela was still away, James ordered more poisons. He even changed Karen's travel plans, buying himself more time. He didn't know how long Angela would be gone, and he needed her home

to start putting his plan to motion. And when she got back, he wasted no time. He mixed up a shaker bottle. He looked up the tetrahydrosoling poisoning timeline. And Angela started to get sick. And when she texted him that she wasn't feeling well, he brushed it off as part of their so-called pact. He claimed her telling him that she was feeling sick was just committing to the bit, right? Committing to this pact they have. But then he says something telling.

He texts her, quote, for the record, I didn't drug you, end quote. Why would he say that if they had a mutual plan? Why would he deny it if she knew what was coming? Because the state says they didn't have any plan. Angela was researching her symptoms, trying to figure out what was happening to her. She wasn't in on it because there was no pact. There wasn't a shared plan. It was a setup.

And the symptoms, she thought were just a mystery illness. They were the beginning of the end. Angela was getting worse. She goes to the hospital struggling to understand what's happening to her. And what does James do? He goes to work. But not to treat patients. He's caught lurking in the dark using a computer in infamous exam room 9.

He's not trying to help Angela. He's trying not to get caught. That same night, he orders oleander, a deadly poison. It never arrives, but it wasn't for a lack of trying. And while Angela is texting him throughout the day, saying she might go to urgent care, expressing frustration and not getting answers, James keeps up the act. He's calm, supportive. But if you believe his version of events, all of this, Angela's pain, her confusion, her fear was just her committing to the bit. I knew about investing, but I really didn't know how to go

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participant just helping his wife carry out her plan, why go to this much effort? He tells the supplier he's disappointed. The package hasn't shown up yet. But he's really annoyed that he doesn't have the poison in hand. That's not reluctance. That's relentlessness. He even drives to the supplier's warehouse, hoping to buy it at the counter, hoping it's in stock just sitting on a shelf. And when that fails, that night, he makes another move. He doesn't have the arsenic or the an idea. So what does he do at 11 p.m.? He buys 12 bottles of vizene. Twelve. Morrow joked. Well, you know those Mormons love to buy in bulk. But really, vizine at 11 p.m.? Just a sudden need for clear eyes? Come on. And meanwhile, James was playing the role of the caring husband, making shakes,

asking Angela how she's feeling. She passes out in the kitchen, ends up back in the hospital. And what's he worried about? He asks, when she can come home. And all the while, he's still emailing poison suppliers, telling them he's using oleander for research. Morrow said that calling that a deceptive statement would be putting it mildly. He wasn't helping Angela. He was hunting for the poison that would finish the job. James couldn't even take the weak murder his wife. He was emailing poison suppliers politely asking for a Saturday day delivery. He's trying to get cyanide at the same time, one poison or all of them, whatever it takes. He's polite in those emails, even providing false research reasons for the order. But make no

mistake, this wasn't about research. It was about killing Angela. He just couldn't tell that to the customer service rep, Cassie, or anyone else. And after getting the eyedrops, he could be seen checking the shaker bottle, making sure Angela drink it, walking around the kitchen, syringe in hand like a man on a mission. The very next day he's furiously trying to get oleander. This isn't some reckless game of chicken. This isn't a reluctant participant. This is a man working to get the job done. Karen is coming.

He has six days. He's calling poison companies, making sure everything is in place. And meanwhile, Angela is texting him, quote, My head hurts so bad. And he's desperate to have her home because it'll be easier to finish the plan there. He wakes up early to go pick up the cyanide. Can't even sleep in. He's got a mission and nothing is going to stop him. He tells Angela, I love you. I'm excited to have you home again. Another lie. But Angela believes it.

James drives over to Angel Amarine's house to grab the key to his office so he can wait for the cyanide delivery. He emails Cassie, the customer service rep. Wow, it's 730 and I have been waiting all day. and quote clearly he's frustrated mad even this guy is anything but reluctant and by 1230 angela crashes right after james had been in her hospital room he tells karen the hospital called him but then he tells the family he was sleeping next to angela in the hospital so which one is it james sunday the 12th james doesn't want to reschedule his date with karen angela is still breathing still in the way. He tells Karen that Angela is blaming him for her illness. He texted, Angela, hey, doctor said yes to the clindemycin. But really, he got that just to slip cyanide in the capsules.

And finally, the cyanide arrives. And what's in her shaker bottle? Eye drops. He even puts the murder weapon, the potassium cyanide-filled pills, in Mark's hand and makes him her own brother give it to Angela, again, her own brother. Can you imagine that giving the brother who loves her the murder weapon and says, here, you give it to her. Make sure she takes it. I cannot imagine Mark and how he feels knowing that. Surveillance footage then showed James in the hospital with a syringe. Gets rid of Mark. Says, hey, look, I want to be alone with my wife. And then what does he do? He goes into Angela's room for 60 seconds, 60 seconds. Comes back out, she's gone.

He injected her with a lethal dose straight into her IV. And all this time, he's texting Karen. He walks in, murders Angela, and texts Karen. She's crashed. Fast forward to Thursday the 16th. James writes the first of mini statements. He stays the night with Karen. And after being arrested, he writes a letter to his daughter,

the so-called memories project. He wants her, his own business. daughter to create a deep fake video of Angela asking him to order poisons because, of course, that's not what really happened. Thus, you need a deep fake. Inmate Casey Bohanam gave police detailed insider information no one else had, things like the key code passes, the Ford truck, and how to get into a house, his house. And none of that was public knowledge.

Prosecutor Maro didn't mince words. That didn't come from nowhere. That came from the defendant. himself. And then there's this explosive letter exhibit 43 where James writes to William offering $5,000 per witness plus a $5,000 finder's fee. He wants attractive women to come forward and say, Angela, set them up. And he even uses codenames like Harry Potter and Captain America. He told Kazi, Nate's ex-wife, that he told the doctors what Angela was doing. But then he also admitted he didn't want to tell the doctors because Angela wasn't telling them herself.

He knew he had to fix the timeline to cover his tracks. Morrow said that to believe Angela's suicide story, you'd have to accept some pretty wild things. You'd have to think she kept this dark, painful secret, willing to hurt herself, manipulate her kids, fool her friends. That she suddenly did a complete 180, turning reckless and manipulative. you'd have to believe she'd be willing to die a slow, painful death, abandoning her family along the way. James wanted everyone to believe that Angela was committed to the facade, that she engaged in false searches, sent loving and worried texts and showed affection, but why would

she suddenly go from, I'm leaving Jim to, I'll kill myself if I can't be married to him? There's no explanation because it's not true. James Craig wanted out of the marriage. He couldn't get divorced. And then suddenly, out of nowhere, there's a suicidal Angela? Maro said that would make him one lucky guy. But to believe that, you'd have to trust him. Be convinced he's credible. And the truth is, he's not. He spent 10 days poisoning Angela. And then he kept going. He could have stopped, but he didn't. James also had a strategy to dupe his own defense team. He didn't just want to fool the jury. He wanted to feed his own attorneys, fake witnesses, and lies. He wanted his own investigator chasing a third

fault narrative that Angela was framing him for attempted murder. James also tried to discredit everyone involved. Caitlin Romero, the hero in this story, who opened up the invoice, she faked computer searches, according to James. Ryan Redford, his partner? The man who came to save his business? Oh, he's jealous, according to James Craig. And Detective Bobby Joe Olson, corrupt. Even his office manager gets accused of planting evidence. As prosecutor Maro put it, pick any exhibit, and there's a good chance it contains a false statement by James Craig. His letters contradict each other. His timeline conflicts with his own text. The lies endless and sloppy. But the real Angela, she wasn't manipulative. She wasn't going to self-harm. Witness after witness

described her as thoughtful, loving, and planning for the future. She didn't act recklessly. She didn't plan her own death. Marrow closed with this, quote, Angela Craig was innocent. James Craig is guilty. Find him guilty of first-degree murder, end quote. And with that, the prosecution's closing arguments came to an end and to put it mildly, I'll say it myself, mic drop. And next, it was the defense's turn. Defense attorney Moses walked up and began with a single word, broken. At the beginning of this trial, she told jurors, we talked about that word, broken. This case, she said, is about broken people, a broken marriage, broken perceptions, and a broken investigation.

Yes, the Craig marriage was broken, but it was theirs. And like many long-term relationships, it was complicated. James had cheated repeatedly. There were secrets. There were lies, but there was also care, tenderness, acts of affection and love. You saw it, Moses told the jury. You saw the videos, how they spoke to each other, touched each other, how they raised their kids together. It wasn't perfect, but it was real. And James Craig, she said, wasn't a monster. He was a man battling addiction, anxiety, and shame. A man completely broken by the time he was arrested and thrown in jail. And then Moses turned to what the state said about motive. The prosecution offered not one, but two motives, the first financial. But Moses pushed back hard

on that. She said, yes, James had money issues in the past, but at the time of Angela's death, things were finally looking up. They owned a million dollar home outright. No, collectors were chasing them no liens on their property there may have been some old irs stuff but it wasn't catastrophic james had finally started improving at work ryan redfern even said that january and february were good months moses told them james made changes when he was told to and for the life insurance policy it wasn't recent angela had a policy on james too most married couples do it wasn't some sinister move just a shared plan moses stood in front of the jury and told them plainly. There was no financial motive here. Moses absolutely didn't shy away from

James Craig's worst qualities. She looked the jury straight in the eye and said in essence, yes, this man was a terrible husband. He cheated constantly. He wasn't faithful for years. But that Moses argued wasn't new. Angela knew. The marriage had survived wave after wave of infidelity. And so now, after 23 years of this, it suddenly becomes his motive for murder? Moses asked. She reminded the jury of something else. Angela had been encouraging James to go to work. He was at the office often, not to scheme, but to keep the business afloat. Family members were pitching in to help with the kids. This wasn't some man spiraling into evil. This was a man trying in his own flawed way to keep things going. And yes, Detective Bobby Joel Olson described James Craig's demeanor as flirty. But Moses didn't argue that. Of course he was flirty, she said. It was part of the pattern, overlapping relationships, emotional manipulations, sweet talk, compliments, promises of the future. He told women he was thinking about divorce. He told others he was getting divorced. He said, whatever he needed to say to whoever he needed to say it to. It wasn't ugly.

It was dishonest. But it wasn't new and it wasn't murder. So congratulations, Moses said to the prosecution. You proved beyond a reasonable doubt that James Craig is a serial cheater. But cheating, she argued, is not a moment. motive. Cheating does not mean that he killed his wife. We got a rare and intimate glimpse into James and Angela Craig's marriage, a view that most people never saw. And yes, James minimized the cheating. He wasn't honest about it, not to others and often not to Angela. He wasn't honest. But Moses said, if you look at their messages, if you watch the video shown in this trial, you do see something else too. Tenderness, kindness, love, a long, complicated history. The defense didn't argue that this

was a healthy marriage. It wasn't, they told the jury, that 23 years of being let down, 20 years of infidelity broke Angela, broke her heart, broke her spirit, broke her soul. And they pointed to her journal, raw, heartbreaking words that she wrote long before she died. Back in 2009, Angela wrote, quote, I feel so lost and so alone. The less able I feel I can forgive. I am physically ill and it just gets worse. I feel abused, worthless, unwanted, not just sad, but depressed. I feel a huge sense of loss with no hope. And quote, Angela's journal, her own words. And the defense asked the jury to sit with that, to imagine what it must have been like for Angela, year after year, hearing apologies, apology after apology, being promised change, believing it, and then watching it all fall

apart again. She wrote, I can't help but think it's me. I'm not what he wants. It almost killed me when I wasn't enough and he didn't love me. The weight of everything is crushing all the air out of me. Should I give in? And quote, those were her words, her pain from years ago. And the defense reminded the jury, we don't have Angela's most recent journals. But if that was her right, reality in 2009 and 2018? What must have she had been feeling in 2023? What was the emotional toll of this kind of betrayal again and again and again? During that trip to Montana, James was with another woman. Angela found out. She told him not to bother coming home. I hope she was worth it, she said. And by that point, Jim and Waffles wasn't a secret anymore. Seeking arrangement wasn't a

secret anymore. Angela had done a deep dive and figured out everything again. And the emotional toll it just kept adding up. Her heart kept breaking and she kept trying to make sense of it. Tony, Angela's sister and closest confidant, she testified that Angela said she was feeling broken. But then she walked it back, told Tony it wasn't what she thought, said James had explained everything and she was staying. But her words were tangled, contradictory. conflicted and Tony said something that stuck. Angela didn't like worrying people. So even in the middle of heartbreak, frustration and betrayal, Angela shaped a version of the story her sister could live with. Because she knew, Tony would push back. Tony would ask hard questions. So Angela crafted a narrative,

not because it was true, but because it was easier. Angela was a mom of sick. She was private, isolated in many ways. She didn't want people knowing what was really going on in her marriage. She was angry, hurt, exhausted, and by her own words, broken. Given everything she had been through, none of that is surprising. The defense pointed out family meant everything to Angela. They believed in eternal forever families. We heard from two of her children and even they didn't know the extent of what was happening between their parents. Angela had become more distant over the years, even from her closest friends. Nikki Harmon said that after James told her what was going on, Angela blamed Nikki for not being there and barely

spoke to her after that. And Michelle Redfern, one of Angela's once best friends, hadn't heard much from her recently either. Angela wasn't opening up, not about the cheating, not about the pain, not about the devastation. She didn't want anyone to know just how deep the damage went, how many times James had broken her. And now we move into March. The defense played a key moment during closing, a recorded argument between James and Angela. Angela says, quote, no one in their right mind would ever think that I would kill myself. Name one person. It's your fault. They treated me like a suicide risk that nothing I said could be believed, end quote. Before I switched to Wellfront, my APY was probably 0.1. Once I switched to Chiching, with a Wellfront

cash account, earn up to 4.2% APY on your cash. I can trust. Wellfront is taking care of me. Make your money earn more. Get started at Wealthfront.com. Clients were paid $1,000 for their testimonials, creating a conflict of interest. How comes very. 3.3%. 3.3%. As a safety why as of January 30th, 2026,000, variable and earned on funds swept to program banks. Point 65% new client for $150,000. Direct deposit $1,000 a month and fund an investing account for a 0.25% increase. Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage, LLC, member FINRA, SIPC, not a bank. At my bank, I was literally getting pennies using Wealthfront. Cheing! Meet Angela, a wealthfront cash account client since 2023.

I lost my job, not having something else lined up yet. I was pregnant with my second. We had to think about how do we make our money work for us. Every month, there's this much that I'm getting an interest and I didn't have to do anything. My money is working hard on its own and I can trust Welfront is taking care of me. With a Welfront cash account, earn up to 4.2% APY on your cash. No account fees, no minimums, and no strings attached. Plus, free instant withdrawals to eligible accounts. Get started at Wealthfront.com. Client was paid $1,000 for their testimonial creating a conflict of interest. Outcomes vary. Base APIY as of January 30th, 2026 is representative variable and earned on funds swept to program banks.

0.65% new client boost for three months on up to $150,000. Direct deposit $1,000 a month and fund an investing account for a 0.25% increase. Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC member FINRA SIPC, not a bank. Instant withdrawal subject to conditions, fees, and eligibility requirements may apply to certain checking features of the cash account. And James responds, quote, I didn't say you did this to yourself. I just said you should do a drug panel because you were accusing me. I wanted that for me too, end quote. Angela doesn't hold back.

Everything's about you and you weren't there for me, end quote. Defense attorney Moses pointed to that fight arguing that James did ask her about getting a toxicology screen and Angela got upset. She said the relationship was intense, raw, and emotional, but still human and that there were big gaps in what people saw. Angela had been to urgent care with Annabel. James wasn't there. She was angry.

she was hurt. She berated him for not being with them. And this is where the defense brings up the word manipulative. Annabelle, their daughter, couldn't think of any real examples of her mom being manipulative, except one story, and it was about parental guilt. But now, Moses suggests, this was actually spousal guilt, the dynamic between James and Angela behind closed doors. She also pointed out that up until March 15th, everyone believed James was a loving, attentive husband. No red flags. No one's suspected anything. And now, Moses said, people are rewriting history. She referenced Mark, Angela's brother, who testified that he was upset. James left the hospital for a long stretch and didn't tell anyone where he was. But Moses asked, if Mark was that mad, why did he text

James asking if he was hungry, saying he was starving and even using emojis? The point the defense tried to make, people didn't think James was acting strangely until after everything happened. Their perceptions became broken, to use their word again. But behind closed doors, Angela and James had arguments. They kept those conversations private like much of their marriage. On March 15th, everything shifted. That's when, according to the defense, police locked in on James Craig and stopped looking for any other possibilities. Moses pointed directly at Detective Olson's testimony.

She said there was a blurry object in James' hand in hospital surveillance. footage now it's suddenly a syringe but moses points out no syringe with poison was ever found not at the hospital and not tied to james and sure the craig home had syringes but police didn't collect them detective olson said there was a sharps container in a dead end hallway in the hospital implying james could have dumped evidence there but moses argued that hallway had an exit one used by james and mark and rene and they used it they used it they used it that exit. And anyway, there's a Sharps container in every room, not just at the end of this dead end hallway that isn't dead end with an exit. So why wasn't it collected? Why wasn't the syringe collected? Olson said the lab wouldn't take biohazard evidence, but Moses pushes back. It wasn't about protocol. It was just too late. The evidence is gone before anyone thought to get it. Broken lenses, he said, referring to a broken investigation based on tunnel vision. They don't get to pick and choose based on blinders, Moses told the jury. She also pointed out that investigators took

photos of pills on Angela's nightstand, but didn't test them. You think she was poisoned, she said. Then why leave it? Why not collect it? Then she turns to the prosecution's theory. They want you to believe that James Craig tampered with capsules, resealed them so perfectly no one noticed, and somehow slipped in cyanide, which then magically left no trace, no spill. no mess. That's fantasy, not fact, Moses said. No cyanide was found. Jurors were also reminded of the scene in the Craig Kitchen, the blender bottles, the drinks, but there were no assigned cups, no names, no warnings. Everyone grabbed drinks freely. There's no evidence Angela was targeted with tetrahydrosline, Moses argued. You don't know who poured that drink and you don't get to guess.

Angela went to urgent care, but the prosecution never followed up. No medical. records, no context, no explanation. Moses challenged that directly. You'd think it's important. Then prove it. They didn't. And you can't speculate. From there, Moses turned the focus back to what he repeatedly called a broken investigation, one filled with blind spots, blinders, and preconceived narratives. James Craig and everyone deserves better than broken lenses. Take the testimony of Dr. Lear at the pathologist. Moses reminded jurors that Dr. Lear had limited information. no access to Angela's mental health records and reviewed the evidence through the state's lenses. She called the death a homicide based on speculation. The very thing the jury is instructed not to do.

You've got to take off the blinders. Take the blinders off the narrative, Moses said. She then revisited the now infamous March 15th call between James and Ryan Redfer. James said they were playing a game of chicken. Moses asked the jury to think about that. How else could he explain that kind of dynamic and a quick phone call? She said. It's something that had been going on for years that same day, March 15th, Angela wasn't feeling well. She was in her hospital room and supposedly said that her arm hurt. Moses questioned, if that was true and James wanted her dead, why would he notify the nurses? Then there's the issue of digital evidence. Angela was seen lying in bed with a laptop during her hospital stay. There were iPads and laptops all over

the house, yet police never collected them? Why not search them? Moses asked, take off the blinders and look. What was Angela searching on those laptops? What were they afraid to find on those laptops? She acknowledged that, yes, police got the cell phones, and yes, they had James's timeline, so they knew to look deeper, but they chose not to collect Angela's devices. Then she went back to the issue of the letters and James's statements. This isn't about whether you believe one letter and not the other. They don't get to pick and choose. They can't ask you to believe what James said to one person, but dismiss what he said to someone else just because it doesn't fit their version of events. And finally, Moses returned to the scene of the hospital. By the next day, the state already had

their theory. They believe James killed her. But they still decided not to take the medicine sitting on Angela's nightstand. She addressed the claim that James was allegedly pressuring hospital staff about medication. They want you to think he was hounding the nurses, but he only sent one text, Moses said. And about the tetrahydrosolene, the eyedrop chemical allegedly used to poison Angela, Moses was direct. We don't know who put it in the cup. You don't get to guess. And if James really was trying to kill his wife, why didn't he clean up? The shaker bottles, the nightstands full of medication, he left it all there. The prosecution wants this to be simple, but it's not. Moses urged the jury to take a step back.

If you really look at everything, you'll see. It's not as simple as they want it to be. Because their marriage wasn't simple. It was complicated, messy, deeply flawed, but also full of nuance. This isn't a case about whether James Craig was a good husband, Moses said. That's not the question here. Yes, James made terrible decisions. He lied, he cheated, he broke trust repeatedly, and in jail facing the collapse of his life, he was desperate, and yes, he made even more bad choices. But desperation doesn't equal guilt. They have to prove their theory based on evidence, not guesses, not leaps of faith, Moses said. When you're back in that room, look past the speculation. She reminded the jury, this isn't about whether you like James Craig. It's not about whether

you sympathize with the family. This is about evidence, not emotion. And then, She addressed the elephant in the room. The letter James wrote to his daughter while in jail. Yes, he wrote it. And yes, it's heartbreaking, Moses said. But it's not an omission of guilt. It's the act of a scared, desperate, innocent man, she told jurors plainly. You don't get to leap.

You don't get to fill in the blanks. The law doesn't allow it. It demands certainty, not hunches, not bias, not emotion. If you hesitate, even for a moment, that's reasonable doubt. And with that, Moses concluded, quote, it's hard for me to sit down knowing they get to stand back up because this is their case. But on behalf of James Craig and our entire team, I'm asking you, please listen, look closely, take off the blinders,

look at the evidence they did show you, and the evidence they did not show you. he is not guilty of murdering Angela Craig. So there you go. That was the defense's closing statement. But then it was time for the prosecution's rebuttal. And to begin the state's rebuttal, prosecutor Brackley acknowledged the defense's right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence,

something he said that everyone, including James Craig, absolutely deserved. He even praised James' attorney and called their work on this phenomenal. Phnominal. I always have a hard time with that word. Phenomenal. Phnominole.

They did a good job. But now, he says, it's time for accountability. He told the jury that the evidence is clear. And when they use their common sense and follow the credible acts, there's only one reasonable conclusion. James Craig is guilty. Prosecutor Brackley briefly addressed the lesser charges, saying they don't apply here because James Craig didn't just snap.

He planned this. He researched what to buy, how much to buy, and then spent days slowly poisoning his wife. That's first-degree murder, not second. Brackley acknowledged the case is messy, complex people, a complicated crime, but he said the facts speak for themselves. The police did their best to follow the evidence, and while they may have had to revisit the scene, James is the one who wrote cyanide in the written timeline. Brackley told the jury, this isn't about speculation or missing evidence or what evidence could have been found by police. It's about what James Craig actually did and the evidence that has been shown. Prosecutor Brackley shut down the idea of assisted suicide, calling it exactly what it is, a defense built on James Craig's words,

and nothing more. He told the jury, there's not a shred of evidence that Angela was suicidal. No text, no journal entries, no conversations with friends or family. Every claim about suicide came from James through fake letters, fake instructions, and fake narratives. He created. Angela, Brackley said, wasn't trying to die. She was fighting to live. In her final day, she was texting loved ones desperately trying to understand what was happening to her. She Googled ER location. She begged to go home. She texted her husband, her killer, and said, quote, you made it look like I'm doing this to myself, end quote. That's not suicide, Brackley, told the jury. that's fear. That's a woman being poisoned, not a woman choosing to die. And while Angela lay dying

in a hospital bed, James was writing a timeline that blamed her. He wasn't grieving. He was covering his tracks. Brackley put it plainly. He said, while she died, he typed. While she weakened, he schemed. That's not a grieving husband. That's a murderer. And quote. As Angela lay dying, James Craig was texting Karen Kane, taking photos outside the hospital, writing his timeline, preparing to blame Angela, and even told staff her last words. Angela's 2009 and 2018 journals described the damage James had caused. But in one recent text, she wrote, You are more important than my day. And quote, she was still trying to save the marriage while arsenic was on its way. Angela Craig was not broken. She showed strength. She protected her children. She stayed hopeful. Brackley said he never broke her spirit to live. He only broke her body. Brackley explained that's not resilience lost. That's resilience betrayed. So why didn't James just file for divorce? Because Brackley said he could not afford it. Divorce meant financial exposure. It meant consequences. Murder was his way out, clean, he thought.

But his text, his searches, and his own words betray him. Brackley then outlined the countdown to Angela's death. On February 27th, James starts poison research. On March 1st, he orders arsenic. On March 6th, Angela is poisoned. On March 8th, James orders cyanide and buys vizine. On March 14th, he blends the final smoothie. On March 15th, Angela is essentially brain dead.

On March 17th, Karen Kane arrives. James planned it step by step. Brackley closed with this, he said, quote, this isn't about perception, this isn't about suicide, this is about murder. Angela Craig died because of what he did with motive, with method, with intent. Verdict is now in your hands, end quote. And with that, the jury has officially begun deliberations. After weeks of testimony, dozens of witnesses and hours of closing arguments, it's now in their hands. Jurors 14 and 15 who had been selected as jurors, they are now alternates. They've been selected as alternates, have been formally dismissed. They've been instructed not to discuss the case with anyone unless they are called back and to avoid all contact with attorneys, witnesses, or anyone

involved in the case. The remaining 12 jurors are now behind closed doors, weighing the evidence and working toward a verdict. Until they do, court is in recess. And so now we wait and have been waiting. All right, everyone. We'll see you. Bye. Bye. At my bank, I was literally getting pennies using wealthfronts. Checking. Meet Angela, a wealthfront cash account client since 2023. I lost my job, not having something else lined up yet. I was pregnant with my second. We had to think about how do we make our money work for us. Every month, there's this much that I'm getting an interest and I didn't have to do anything. My money is working hard on its own and I can trust

Wellfront is taking care of me. With a Wealthfront cash account earn up to 4.2% APY on your cash. No account fees, no minimums, and no strings attached. Plus, free instant withdrawals to eligible at eligible. Get started at Wealthfront.com. Client was paid $1,000 for their testimonial, creating a conflict of interest. Outcomes vary. 3.3% base API as of January 30th, 2026 is representative variable and earned on funds swept to program banks. 0.65% new client boost for three months on up to $150,000. Direct deposit $1,000 a month and fund an investing account for a 0.25% increase. Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC member FINRA SIPC, not a bank.

Instant withdrawal subject to conditions, fees and eligibility requirements may apply to certain checking features of the cash account. Before I switched to wealth front, my APY was probably 0.1. Like, it was a joke. I was literally getting pennies. Once I switched, chiching. With a wealthfront cash account, earn up to 4.2% APY on your cash. The high APY with Wealthfront was a clear winner. There are no petty fees.

Every month, there's this much that I'm getting an interest, and I didn't have to do anything. My money is working hard on its own, and I can trust Welfront is taking care of me. Earn more on your uninvested cash with a Wealthfront cash account. No account fees, no minimums, and no strings attached. Get started today at Wealthfront.com. Clients were paid $1,000 for their testimonials creating a conflict of interest. Outcomes vary. 3.3%.

Base API Y as of January 30th, 20206 is representative variable and earned on funds swept to program banks. 0.65% new client boosts for three months on up to $150,000. Direct deposit $1,000 a month and fund an investing account for a 0.25% increase. Cash account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC member FINRA SIPC, not a bank. These eligibility requirements may apply to certain checking features of the cash account.