Terminally ill father shot son's ex-wife, her husband during Vegas custody hearing, reports say
A custody dispute for children turned deadly in Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday when a father with terminal cancer allegedly killed his son's ex-wife and her new husband, according to multiple reports.
Joseph Houston, a 77-year-old Las Vegas attorney, is accused of shooting his ex-daughter-in-law Ashley Prince, 30, and her husband, Dennis Prince, 57, minutes into a deposition hearing at Prince Law Group, the New York Times reported.
After allegedly killing the Princes, Houston took his own life, according to the outlet.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMP) has not identified the victims or the suspect but did say a female in her 30s and a male in his 50s were found on the fifth floor of the six-story building, according to a Facebook post shared on Monday. The alleged shooter is a man in his 70s, the department added.
Based on interviews, LVMP detectives learned about the "ongoing deposition hearing regarding child custody," the department said in the Facebook post.
"At some point during the deposition, the suspect got up and shot the two victims from across the table," according to the police. "The shooter died on scene."
USA TODAY contacted the Clark County Coroner in Las Vegas but did not receive an immediate response.
'Tragic violence,' Dennis Prince's law firm says about the shooting
During a news conference on Monday, LVMP Sheriff Kevin McMahill said police had "a theory" about what transpired at the law office but did not share any details.
People in the law office were evacuated and took refuge at the Red Rock Casino, Clark County Fire Chief John Steinbeck said during the news conference.
Although authorities have not confirmed the victims' identities, Dennis Prince's law firm, Prince Law Group, has a statement at the top of its website addressing the shooting.
"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," the law firm said. "We ask that you please respect the privacy of the families involved."
Friend of Dennis Prince says Houston had terminal cancer, reports say
Robert Eglet, a Las Vegas trial attorney who was friends with the Prince family, told Fox News Digital that Houston had confided in him about his terminal cancer diagnosis before the shooting.
"Joe told me this not long before the shooting, that he was dying of terminal cancer," Eglet said, according to Fox News. "Makes me wonder if he felt like he had nothing to lose? I really don't know though, I can't make any sense of this all."
Eglet also said Houston's son, Dylan Houston, was a father of three children and shared a 6-month-old baby with Ashley Prince. Dylan Houston filed a divorce suit against his ex-wife in October 2021, according to court records.
'Our family is in a state of profound shock,' Houston's family says in a statement
The Houston family released a statement to KVVU-TV requesting the public not jump to conclusions until the LVMP completes its investigation.
"Our family is in a state of profound shock and sadness at yesterday’s events. We ask for prayers and privacy as we try to navigate the coming days," a spokesperson for the family said, according to the Las Vegas-based TV station. "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."
Joe Houston was legal counsel for his son in the case against his ex-wife, who filed for sole custody of their children together, Eglet told KVVU-TV.
Las Vegas law firm offers condolences to the Prince family
Burk Injury Lawyers, another law firm in Las Vegas, offered its condolences to Dennis Prince's family through a Facebook post.
"We lost a titan in the legal world today," the law firm said in a Facebook post. "Dennis Prince was widely considered a top 5 trial attorney in Nevada. One of our very best! A passionate seeker of justice. A warrior advocate for those fighting incredible odds... Our prayers go out to Dennis and Ashley’s friends & family, especially their children."