LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A civil lawsuit filed Monday in Clark County District Court seeks to hold multiple people responsible for a deadly shooting inside a Summerlin law office nearly two years ago.
The shooting happened on April 8, 2024, when police say longtime Las Vegas attorney Joseph Houston pulled out a gun during a deposition in a heated custody battle, shooting his former daughter-in-law Ashley Prince and her husband Dennis Prince before turning the gun on himself.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Dennis Prince's young son, alleges those named helped plan the attack or failed to stop it.
Alyssa Bethencourt reports new details from the legal complaint:
The complaint names:
- Joseph Houston's law firm
- The estate of Joseph Houston and his wife, Katherine Houston
- Their son, Dylan Houston
Ashley Prince was previously married to Dylan Houston, and the two were involved in a bitter custody battle, with Joseph Houston representing his son in the case. Katherine Houston was also present in the deposition room at the time of the shooting.
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The complaint claims Dylan Houston had sent threatening messages to Ashley, including one that said, "I don't want to see you unless you're in a casket."
The lawsuit also points to an email allegedly sent by Dylan Houston to Dennis Prince four days before the shooting that reads: "you have no idea what's coming do you, all your cards are on the table and I haven't played one."
The complaint also claims Ashley Prince had considered hiring private security for the deposition but canceled after being told Dylan Houston would not be attending.
Other claims in the document include assault, battery, false imprisonment and negligence.
Las Vegas police said their investigation found Joseph Houston acted alone. The final report on the deadly shooting, released in September, states investigators found no evidence that anyone else knew Houston was going to kill Dennis and Ashley Prince.
The lawsuit does not specify exactly how much money the family is seeking, instead leaving it up to a jury to decide damages if the case goes to trial.
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