Mother was concerned about safety before Las Vegas law office shooting, documents reveal
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Text messages, an email and a surveillance report reviewed by the 8 News Now Investigators reveal more about a bitter custody battle that resulted in a deadly shooting inside a Las Vegas law office.
Joe Houston II, 77, shot and killed Ashley Prince, 30; and her husband, Dennis Prince, 57, during a custody deposition at Dennis Prince’s law firm on Monday.
Joe Houston was there to represent his son, Dylan Houston, in the custody dispute with his former wife, Ashley Prince. Dennis Prince was representing his wife. Several other people were in the room, including two other lawyers and a court reporter, sources told the 8 News Now Investigators.
Dylan Houston and Ashley Prince have two young children at the center of the custody dispute.
Five days before the shooting, Dylan Houston, who is also an attorney, emailed Dennis Prince, “You have no idea what’s coming do you, all your cards are on the table and I haven’t played one [laughing emoji],” according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.
The email was sent at 1:28 a.m. on April 4.
Dylan Houston appeared to refer to a surveillance report which did not cast him in a positive light, according to a source with knowledge of the child custody case.
“All you have is this? You needed extra time for it?” Dylan Houston emailed.
Divorce records obtained by 8 News Now show claims made against Dylan Houston, stating he tested positive for cocaine and alcohol while he had custody of their children. The records also claim that he would send abusive texts to Ashley Prince.
Dylan Houston was observed excessively drinking on March 29, according to a report from De Becker Investigations. The report noted that Houston had five drinks with three shots each over approximately four hours. Despite another individual attempting to get Dylan Houston to not drive, he got behind the wheel and swerved on the road, according to the report.
Dylan Houston was required to take breathalyzer tests before spending time with his children, according to previous court documents in the child custody case. The court battle also included a protective order against Dylan Houston in April 2022, which was extended, court records show.
Ashley Prince expressed safety concerns before Monday’s child custody deposition.
“Do you have any private security you recommend?” she texted private investigator Hal De Becker. “Dylan has a ton of guns in that house.”
In another text, she wrote, “[I don’t know] if Dylan will be there but in case he is.”
On the Thursday before the shooting, Ashley Prince canceled the security.
“Nothing Monday — he will not be there,” she stated.
While it appeared Ashley Prince was concerned about her ex-husband, his father, Joe Houston, turned out to be the danger. On the afternoon of the deadly shooting, a Las Vegas judge ordered that Ashley Prince’s sister should be temporarily awarded custody of the two children rather than Dylan Houston.
Clark County District Court Judge Bill Henderson referred to the shooting and surveillance report from De Becker Investigations.
“[P]lacing the parties’ minor children with Plaintiff would be detrimental to the children, and the award of custody to a nonparent is required to serve the children’s best interests, based upon the recent acts of Plaintiff’s father and Plaintiff,” Henderson wrote.
The Princes recently had a child together, friends confirmed to the 8 News Now Investigators. Dennis Prince frequently appeared on 8 News Now where he discussed civil cases.“Our family is in a state of profound shock and sadness at yesterday’s events,” a spokesperson for the Houston family said Tuesday. “We ask for prayers and privacy as we try to navigate the coming days. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is still conducting their investigation and as that continues, speculation about details of the incident only serves to add trauma to our already grieving and overwhelmed families. We have full faith in Metro’s efforts and will leave all future comment to them as their investigation unfolds.”
“With profound sadness, Prince Law Group would like to thank everyone who has reached out to us with heartfelt messages of concern and sympathy over the tragic violence that occurred this morning in our offices,” a spokesperson for the law group said Monday evening. “We ask that you please respect the privacy of the families involved.”
Those needing victim services can call 702-455-AIDE (2433).
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