Angela Craig’s brother breaks silence as her dentist husband appears in court on murder charges

The family of the Colorado wife and mother who was allegedly poisoned to death by her dentist husband has broken their silence to share their heartbreak as he made his first court appearance on Thursday. 

Angela Craig’s husband, Jim Craig, 45, was arrested in Aurora, Colorado Sunday, accused of ‘slowly poisoning to death,’ his wife by lacing her protein shakes with potassium cyanide with the intention of starting a new life with his mistress.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com outside the courtroom, Angela’s brother Mark Pray, described the experience of seeing Craig as ‘weird.’ 

Dr. Jim Craig made his first court appearance in Arapahoe District Court in Colorado Thursday morning where he was formally charged with first-degree murder of wife Angela

Angela Craig’s brother Mark Pray, 54, circled, sat second row in the courtroom for his brother-in-law’s arraignment which marks the first time he has laid eyes on him since his arrest, he told DailyMail.com

 In the days since his wife’s death, a deeply disturbing picture has emerged of Craig, including his numerous affairs, self-confessed porn addiction and a worrisome gambling habit

He explained, ‘You’ve known him 20 years and to see him here, under these circumstances, with what he’s been accused of. It’s hard to reconcile. 

Last night, speaking to DailyMail.com outside the family home, Pray, 54, said, ‘We’re heartbroken. I’m still trying to put into words what she means to us all.

‘Right now, we’re all pitching in to look after the children, that’s our focus. Jim’s family are here too and helping.’

With remarkable compassion Pray added, ‘Jim’s family is wonderful, they have young family too and it’s great for the children to be with them.

‘His family didn’t do anything wrong. Jim did.’

Craig’s first brief court appearance took place 8:30 local time this morning in Arapahoe District Court.

He appeared in person to hear the charge of first-degree murder after deliberation formally filed against him.

He shuffled into courtroom 308, head bowed, hands cuffed and ankles shackled. He did not make eye contact with any of the family and friends who had filed into the small room to support him.

The 45-year-old dentist shuffled into courtroom 308, head bowed, hands cuffed and ankles shackled and did not make eye contact with any of his family members who were present at the hearing

Craig sat alongside deputy public defender Patrick Thompson (right) and public defender Katie Telfer and inside the courtroom

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com outside the courtroom Pray (pictured) described the experience of seeing Craig as ‘weird’, noting he hadn’t been in contact with his sister’s husband, who he had known for 20 years, since her death

Inside the courtroom for James Craig’s hearing at the Arapahoe District Court. Friends and family were seen wiping away tears as Craig’s charges were read

His parents arrived shortly before 8:30 with Craig’s oldest son, Toliver. 

Several of Craig’s older children were also present. They sat silently and betrayed little emotion as their father entered the court.

Craig’s mother let out a small gulp as she swallowed back her reaction on seeing her son who was unshaven and dressed in orange Arapahoe County Detention Center jumpsuit.

Craig’s business partner, Ryan Redfearn was present with his wife Michelle. Approached by DailyMail.com they declined to comment.

Brother-in-law, Pray sat in the second row. It was the first time he has laid eyes on Craig since his arrest and he has not communicated with him since then.

During the brief hearing the judge deferred a defense request to put a temporary gag order on Aurora Police Department.

Deputy Public Defender, Katie Telfer, raised the motion objecting to statements made in Aurora PD’s Chief in a press release on Craig’s arrest which, she said, were tantamount to a ‘presumption of guilt.’

In it Aurora Police Division Chief Mark Hildebrand described Angela’s death as, ‘a heinous, complex and calculated murder.’ 

Angela’s brother and Craig’s brother-in-law Mark Pray said both sides of the family have been focused on caring for the couple’s children. They are pictured with five of their six kids

Angela Craig was taken to the hospital on March 15. She died on March 19, after four days on life support 

James and Angela Craig pose for a family picture with their six children aged eight to 20

Craig spoke only briefly during this morning’s hearing which lasted barely ten minutes, as he confirmed that he was waiving his right to a preliminary hearing within a 35-day period.

Craig was arrested for murder on Sunday after detectives discovered his wife Angela Craig, 43, had been fatally poisoned

The court will make a ruling on the gag motion at that preliminary hearing which has been set for April 7.

For now, Pray said, ‘We’re focusing on supporting the children, but we won’t be able to figure out how things will look longer term until after the funeral.’

The family cannot say when that will be, as Angela’s body has not yet been released back to them.

It was Pray who accompanied his sister to hospital on the morning of March 15, concerned by the severe headaches and dizziness she was experiencing.

Within two hours of her admission to University Hospital that day she suffered a devastating seizure and began a rapid decline for which medical staff could find no diagnosable cause.

Ultimately on life-support, intubated and in the Intensive Care Unit medics told the family to prepare for the worst. 

Angela was pronounced brain dead three days later, on March 18.

Craig’s persona behind closed doors is unrecognizable to staff, past and present, at his dental practice, Summerbrook Dental, they say

Craig worked at Summerbrook Dental. A former worker there said: ‘We’re all just in shock. He was a very good guy, like the least likely person for any of this

See also  Teacher Lee Holmes shares the quick and easy hack she swears by to stop soggy salads forever 

Interior lobby of Jim Craig’s Summerbrook Dental practice in Aurora, Colorado

Exclusive pictures obtained by DailyMail.com show the neat space now closed until further notice

In the days since her death, a deeply disturbing picture has emerged of the life lived by the devoted wife and mother who committed herself to her marriage despite doubts and despite her husband’s numerous infidelities, self-confessed porn addiction and a worrisome gambling habit that ran alongside him, ‘running his company into the ground.’

DailyMail.com revealed Craig was having an affair with orthodontist Karin Cain, 49, who is currently in the middle of a divorce from her husband Jason

DailyMail.com revealed exclusively Wednesday that Craig’s latest mistress is orthodontist Karin Cain, 49, from Marble Falls, Texas. 

She flew to be by his side as his wife was dying in the hospital.

Cain, a mother-of-two grown children, is currently going through a divorce from her husband Jason.

Her name was not fully redacted from the 52-page probable cause document filed in Arapahoe District Court that detailed the allegedly calculated and ‘heinous’ plot which saw Craig research and purchase poisons online then deliver them to his unsuspecting wife through potassium cyanide laced protein shakes.

Text messages exchanged between the couple show Craig apparently feigning concern for his wife – even as she lay hospitalized, frightened and dying – who was suffering through the symptoms of the poison he himself gave her. 

While Angela deteriorated in hospital Craig flew his mistress in from Texas, rushing from his wife’s hospital bedside to hers while telling Angela how much he ‘wished he could stay longer.’ 

 Text messages Craig exchanged with Angela while she was in hospital fighting for her life

Craig allegedly first gave his wife the poison on March 6, in a shake he mixed before their workout

It is a reality that has shocked all who thought they knew Craig and who had bought into the carefully curated image of a picture-perfect family he presented.

Today the neat family home is shuttered up, a small sign posted on the door asks for privacy.

Colorful Adirondack chairs are arranged in a circle around a firepit on the patio out back. Birdhouses are dotted around the property alongside carefully planted flowerbeds.

A grill and a hot tub sit covered against snow flurries that still swirl in Aurora in early spring. 

There is a trampoline and a sandbox – all the poignant playthings of a life now callously destroyed. 

Set in an upscale development with parks, a nature reserve and playgrounds this is the home of a family who appeared to have it all. 

Yet the probable cause affidavit states that, behind closed doors, Craig drugged Angela five or six years ago, in an incident that he attempted to explain away by claiming he intended to commit suicide and didn’t want her to stop him. 

See also  Ola and James Jordan share throwback snaps together as they celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary

Set in an upscale development with parks, a nature reserve and playgrounds this is the home of a family who appeared to have it all

Today the neat family home is shuttered up, a small sign posted on the door asks for privacy

Colorful Adirondack chairs are arranged in a circle around a firepit on the patio out back

Meanwhile his wife was struggling to stay in a marriage riven by his repeated affairs, financial problems and addiction.

It is a version of their boss and his family life that is unrecognizable to staff, past and present, at Craig’s dental practice, Summerbrook Dental whose offices are housed in a small medical plaza just twenty minutes’ drive from the family home.

Exclusive pictures obtained by DailyMail.com show the neat space now closed until further notice. 

An inspirational quote adorns the wall, pronouncing Craig’s ‘dedication’ to ‘consideration and professionalism.’

Craig’s business cards sit alongside a plethora of awards. 

Several TALK awards given out for patient satisfaction are mounted on the wall, the most recent of them awarded just last year. 

They are proudly displayed by the man who was, according to one former staff member, ‘a motivational and just great boss.’

Chelsea Norton, 34, worked for Summerbrook for a year, leaving last January. 

At the time, she told DailyMail.com, Angela also worked at the practice, and she regarded both her and Craig as friends. 

DailyMail.com caught up with orthodontist Karin Cain in Marble Falls, Texas on Wednesday

She was still wearing her wedding band, despite currently going through a divorce from husband Jason

Karin Cain and her husband Jason have two children, daughter Karson, now 21, and son Kooper, 19

She said, ‘We’re all just in shock. He was a very good guy, like the least likely person for any of this. 

‘They were the nicest, sweetest, family with such cute kids. I’ve looked back on my memories over the past few days to see if there’s anything I missed that hinted at anything [that would explain this] at all. But there’s nothing.

‘He would give motivational speeches and do food for the staff some afternoons.’

Yet according to the charging documents it was in this office – in a darkened exam room – that Craig researched and purchased poison online. And to this address that he had a package containing potassium cyanide delivered March 13.

An earlier delivery of arsenic was found to have been made to his home on March 4.

The later delivery raised concerns when a staff member who had not got the message not to open what Craig described as, ‘a personal package,’ opened it and could think of no medical reason for the purchase.

She googled the chemical compound, labelled a biohazard, and realized how closely the symptoms of cyanide poisoning mirrored those suffered by Angela.

It was Craig’s business partner who reported the concerns to a nurse at University Hospital. The nurse in turn informed law enforcement setting the investigation in motion.