Accused Dentist Asks Daughter to Create Deepfake Video for Deadly Chemical Request in Alleged Poisoning Case

In a Colorado courtroom, the daughter of James Craig, a dentist currently facing charges for the alleged fatal poisoning of his wife, Angela, testified yesterday. The 20-year-old woman detailed how her father allegedly requested her assistance in creating the appearance that his wife had willingly procured the ingredients leading to her death, thereby ingesting them.

In a letter, Craig reportedly provided step-by-step instructions for the creation of a deepfake video depicting Angela. Deepfakes are digital manipulations that employ artificial intelligence to generate inauthentic images, videos, or audio recordings which appear genuine. The daughter testified that the letter, believed to be penned by Craig, contained an excerpt stating, “I love you … I’m sorry to even have to ask you for this help.”

According to prosecutors, Craig stands accused of fatally poisoning Angela with a concoction comprising arsenic, cyanide, and tetrahydrozoline – a common component in eyedrops – in March 2023. Upon her admission to the hospital, it is alleged that Craig tampered with evidence by administering a cyanide-laced pill to Angela, ensuring she consumed it and ultimately causing her death.

The prosecution asserts that Craig’s actions were motivated by growing financial troubles and an extramarital affair. Craig has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder, solicitation for first-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence, and perjury.

In the aforementioned letter, Craig requested his daughter to procure a budget laptop, establish a private network, and utilize a dark web browser while paying for the project using a pre-paid Visa gift card. The video was to be designed as if it had been produced in the weeks preceding Angela’s demise, according to the daughter’s testimony.

She testified that Craig also asked her to burn the video onto thumbdrives and notify an investigator of their discovery within her mother’s bag, before subsequently destroying the laptop. The daughter revealed that Craig had chosen her as the most suitable candidate for this task due to her resemblance to Angela – stoic and practical – and her technical proficiency.

During cross-examination, the daughter acknowledged that the letter was disappointing, confusing, and evoked a range of emotions. She recounted living at home during the time when her mother fell ill and driving her to and from emergency rooms for treatment while concurrently caring for her younger siblings.

On one occasion, the daughter found Angela unconscious on the floor of their bathroom, describing her as extremely fatigued and disoriented. Craig’s oldest daughter also testified yesterday, revealing that Craig had expressed a desire to avoid an autopsy being performed on Angela post-mortem.

Upon her mother’s death, he reportedly stated his intention was not to “satisfy their curiosities” or have them conduct invasive procedures on her remains. When pressed about the potential genetic origins of her mother’s illness and the risk of it being passed onto her younger siblings, Craig remained silent.

During an emotional testimony, the daughter asserted that while Angela struggled like anyone else, she would not have chosen to take her own life. “We were making plans,” she stated. The 21-year-old woman, accompanied by a comfort dog named Fancy, testified through tears, detailing her close relationship with her mother and their daily communication.

She recalled Angela as an active individual who enjoyed exercising on her stationary bike and engaging in yoga and Pilates. However, in early 2023, Angela had experienced a marked decline in health and expressed frustration about the mystery surrounding her illness. Her oldest daughter recollected her mother’s descriptions of feeling “dizzy” and “heavy,” before her condition deteriorated and she reported experiencing nausea and instability on her feet.