NV-Lawyer fatally shoots former daughter-in-law, fellow attorney in Las Vegas law firm

[PrairieWind]

Moo.. war of egos, I agree DP was disrespectful. This was taking place in DP 's law office. Doesn't seem it was about the children so much...more about power n control....moo

just to clarify, a law office is typically where a deposition is held. If I am taking someone's deposition. 9 times out of 10 it will be in my office conference room. So the location doesn't really mean much.

 

[LaborDayRN]

yikes, one of my fears. We have a crazy case right now and I honestly am always looking around corners and locking the door if I am here alone.

So much damage here, those poor kids...

Please be extra safe @AzPistonsGirl
I can't even imagine the crazy people you must have to deal with.
Being an RN I also had my share. We had a father say he was going outside to get his gun once because his girlfriend wanted him to leave. We had security at the hospital and also called the police. Thankfully he never tried to re-enter the facility.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

Please be extra safe @AzPistonsGirl
I can't even imagine the crazy people you must have to deal with.
Being an RN I also had my share. We had a father say he was going outside to get his gun once because his girlfriend wanted him to leave. We had security at the hospital and also called the police. Thankfully he never tried to re-enter the facility.

Thanks, yeah, plus, cuz, well... Arizona! Wahoo! Guns!

Thanks @LaborDayRN - same to you. While we advocate and do our best to help protect and care for others, we must do so with the same vigilance for ourselves!

 

[LaborDayRN]

Thanks, yeah, plus, cuz, well... Arizona! Wahoo! Guns!

Thanks @LaborDayRN - same to you. While we advocate and do our best to help protect and care for others, we must do so with the same vigilance for ourselves!

Thanks @AzPistonsGirl
There are some real crazies out there. We even had one guy (after his baby was born and visiting with family) who stabbed his father in law with a butter knife. You just never know what people will do.

 

[Fairy1]

Attorney who witnessed double-murder suicide at Las Vegas law firm recounts 'incomprehensible tragedy'

The lawyer who witnessed the double murder-suicide inside a Las Vegas law firm recounts the fateful day and says it's highlighting a need for change.

www.yahoo.com

 

[Rikissa]

This article makes me wonder if JH had planned beforehand to kill DP, but not AP. JH had requested that AP, and another attorney, not to be present at the deposition. Maybe JH was convinced that with DP gone AP would hand over the children to the Houston family. With her husband killed, no-one would take on the child custody case.

Emails show tension before Las Vegas law office shooting: ‘I REQUEST AGAIN THAT ASHLEY NOT BE PRESENT’

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- The attorney who shot and killed his ex-daughter-in-law and her husband inside a Las Vegas law office had asked the mother of his grandchildren not to be present days before killing her.

www.yahoo.com

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Sigh.....
Have we all learned more and more about the evils and dangers with custody cases...
My hope is 'the whole country' must take note and make changes.

 

[tlcya]

The terminally ill Houston gunned down prominent Las Vegas attorney Dennis Prince and his wife, Ashley, before turning the gun on himself. The bizarre shooting was the culmination of an "incredibly tense" custody battle with "a lot of venom going back and forth," Rasmussen said.
[snip]
Rasmussen said Joe Houston displayed no warning signs that morning. She described him as "jovial."

"I was aware that he had a cancer diagnosis, but he did not seem just so, you know, terminally ill," she said. "He was able-bodied, and he had a full head of hair, and he was jovial. He didn't seem sick or even like he didn't feel well. He didn't look pale. He didn't. So he may have had a diagnosis that was problematic. I, of course, have no idea what was going through his mind."
Attorney who witnessed double-murder suicide at Las Vegas law firm recounts 'incomprehensible tragedy'

I think Houston decided the only way to make sure his son got custody since he was terminally ill himself and may not be able to survive until the battle was over was to kill his Ex DIL and her attorney husband. Desperate people do stupid desperate things. He robbed his grandchild(ren) of a grandfather their mother and stepfather all in one fell swoop.

 

[PrairieWind]

This article makes me wonder if JH had planned beforehand to kill DP, but not AP. JH had requested that AP, and another attorney, not to be present at the deposition. Maybe JH was convinced that with DP gone AP would hand over the children to the Houston family. With her husband killed, no-one would take on the child custody case.

Emails show tension before Las Vegas law office shooting: ‘I REQUEST AGAIN THAT ASHLEY NOT BE PRESENT’

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- The attorney who shot and killed his ex-daughter-in-law and her husband inside a Las Vegas law office had asked the mother of his grandchildren not to be present days before killing her.

www.yahoo.com

I do find that a bit interesting that Houston asked that AP not be there. I haven't been able to figure that out really.

 

[stg]

I do find that a bit interesting that Houston asked that AP not be there. I haven't been able to figure that out really.

I take that to mean DP was his main target so he did not want to have to take out AP too, but when she arrived, he felt he had no choice. Definitely seems pre-mediated to take out DP at the very least. This is such a tragic story in so many ways. I never knew lawyers could behave this way! Definitely a lesson in not representing family in such an emotional case.

 

[*LD*]

So, Houston's wife (the parental grandmother) was in the room when he murdered them and killed himself?

 

[Rikissa]

So, Houston's wife (the parental grandmother) was in the room when he murdered them and killed himself?

No, the wife fled the room with her attorney LR, and the two other people there.

 

[DropthePuck]

So, Houston's wife (the parental grandmother) was in the room when he murdered them and killed himself?

DBM

 

[stg]

Found more insight into why Joe requested AP not be present at the deposition (allegedly):

Emails: Shooter demanded ex-daughter-in-law not be present before deadly deposition

Emails show that the shooter in a Summerlin law office shooting requested multiple times that his ex-daughter-in-law not be present at a deposition that ended in three people dead.

www.fox5vegas.com

"Two days later, Joe requested Ashley not be present again.

'The reason I asked Ashley not to be at my wife’s deposition on April 8, 2024, is because the last time she was present, she was abusive to my wife and even [counsel] had to inform her that she is acting inappropriately at the deposition, even though she did not agree that she had actually done the same,' Joe’s email reads. 'I REQUEST AGAIN THAT ASHLEY NOT BE PRESENT.'”

 

[caradana]

Found more insight into why Joe requested AP not be present at the deposition (allegedly):

Emails: Shooter demanded ex-daughter-in-law not be present before deadly deposition

Emails show that the shooter in a Summerlin law office shooting requested multiple times that his ex-daughter-in-law not be present at a deposition that ended in three people dead.

www.fox5vegas.com

"Two days later, Joe requested Ashley not be present again.

'The reason I asked Ashley not to be at my wife’s deposition on April 8, 2024, is because the last time she was present, she was abusive to my wife and even [counsel] had to inform her that she is acting inappropriately at the deposition, even though she did not agree that she had actually done the same,' Joe’s email reads. 'I REQUEST AGAIN THAT ASHLEY NOT BE PRESENT.'”

Check out Dennis Price’s response to that. He was one heck of a dominant attorney. I can see what Ashley saw in him. Besides handsome … protector.

 

[nao]

Check out Dennis Price’s response to that. He was one heck of a dominant attorney. I can see what Ashley saw in him. Besides handsome … protector.

Moo...for what reason would Ashley be there?

 

[PrairieWind]

Moo...for what reason would Ashley be there?

There can be several reasons. First, understand that she is a party to the matter, she has a right to be there. Second, and more practical is to assist. Dennis was taking the deposition of her ex-husband's mother. As I often tell myself and our new attorneys, "no one knows the case better than your client; listen to them." Mrs. Houston was likely to be evasive and Ashley would be able to know what she isn't disclosing and be able to direct Dennis where to go next. There can be real advantages to having your client attend depositions. I suspect this is in part why Joe didn't want her there.

 

[MerBeach]

There can be several reasons. First, understand that she is a party to the matter, she has a right to be there. Second, and more practical is to assist. Dennis was taking the deposition of her ex-husband's mother. As I often tell myself and our new attorneys, "no one knows the case better than your client; listen to them." Mrs. Houston was likely to be evasive and Ashley would be able to know what she isn't disclosing and be able to direct Dennis where to go next. There can be real advantages to having your client attend depositions. I suspect this is in part why Joe didn't want her there.

Thank you so much, PrairieWind for adding your perspective to this discussion. It helps me to process my thoughts on this tragic case. It’s one of the most disturbing I’ve seen in the years of been on Websleuths.