Las Vegas, Nevada – A tragic incident unfolded in Summerlin when a deposition turned deadly, resulting in the deaths of a Las Vegas attorney and his wife. Autopsies conducted by the Clark County coroner’s office identified the victims as Dennis Prince, 57, and Ashley Prince, 30, who both succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. The deaths have been classified as homicides.
The fatal shooting occurred at the offices of Prince Law Group, where Dennis Prince was representing his wife in a child custody dispute with her ex-husband. The shooter, Las Vegas attorney Joseph Houston II, 77, was there to represent his son in the same case. Shortly after the deposition commenced, Joseph Houston opened fire, fatally shooting Dennis Prince before taking his own life.
According to a court document filed after the tragedy, Joseph Houston abruptly pulled out a handgun and shot Dennis Prince four times within five minutes of the deposition beginning. Also present during the attack was Las Vegas attorney Lisa Rasmussen, who was representing Joseph Houston’s wife, Katherine, during the proceedings.
The tragic incident unveiled underlying tensions within the family, as Dylan Houston, also a Las Vegas attorney, had filed for divorce from Ashley back in October 2021 after a four-year marriage. Despite being granted joint physical and legal custody of their two young children in a divorce decree issued a month later, custody of the children, aged 5 and 4, was still a subject of dispute.
In the aftermath of the shooting, emotional support services are being offered at the Resiliency and Justice Center for those affected by the loss. Additionally, resources for suicide prevention and support are available 24/7 through the Lifeline network for those in need of assistance. The community continues to mourn the loss of the victims, leaving behind questions and grief in the wake of the tragic event.