Las Vegas lawyer Dennis Prince and his wife Ashley were shot and killed during a deposition hearing by Ashley’s former father-in-law, Joseph Houston, who then took his own life. The shooting occurred at Prince Law Group in Las Vegas, where Prince had been practicing law for 30 years. The couple had been engaged in a custody battle for Ashley’s children from her previous marriage. Houston, also an attorney, had been representing his son in the custody battle.
The coroner’s office identified the victims as Dennis and Ashley Prince, both of whom were shot multiple times by Houston. The shooting took place just minutes after the deposition hearing began, with seven people in the room at the time. Four were able to escape and call the police, while Dennis and Ashley were fatally shot. Ashley’s parents spoke at a news conference, stating that their daughter had been trying to gain sole custody of her children for years and that she was a devoted and fierce protector of her children. They vowed to continue fighting for custody of the children, who are ages 4 and 5.
Ashley’s brother, Bryce Page, described his sister as beaming with happiness after meeting Dennis Prince, with whom she had built a warm and loving environment for their family. Dennis Prince had a successful career as a trial lawyer in Nevada, specializing in personal injury, product liability, negligence, and insurance cases. He had tried over 90 cases to verdict and had more than a dozen published state Supreme Court cases. Prince Law Group released a statement expressing profound sadness and thanking those who had reached out with messages of concern and sympathy.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the shooting but has not yet provided a comment on the family’s statement. Houston, who had been a lawyer in Nevada since 1974, had been representing his son in the custody battle with Ashley, according to court records. The shooting has shocked the community and left many questioning how such a tragic event could occur during a legal proceeding. The victims’ family and friends are mourning the loss of Dennis and Ashley Prince and are determined to continue Ashley’s fight for custody of her children. The legal community in Las Vegas has also been impacted by the tragic loss of Dennis Prince, who was highly respected in his field.
