A newly filed wrongful death lawsuit claims a “civil conspiracy” played a role in the murders of a well-known Las Vegas attorney, Joe Houston, and his wife, Ashley Prince, during a deposition at a Summerlin law office in 2024, reports Baltimore Chronicle via News3lv. The suit, submitted Monday in Clark County District Court, was filed by Nancy Bernstein on behalf of her and Dennis Prince’s son. Defendants include Dylan Houston, Katherine Houston, and the estate of Joe Houston, along with Joe Houston’s law firm.
According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) reports, Joe Houston fatally shot Dennis Prince, 57, and his wife, Ashley, 30, before committing suicide. At the time, Ashley Prince was involved in a contentious custody dispute with her ex-husband and Houston’s son, Dylan Houston. Joe Houston represented Dylan Houston in the custody proceedings. Katherine Houston was being deposed by Dennis Prince when the shooting occurred.
While the LVMPD final investigative report indicated that none of the parties anticipated Joe Houston would commit the murders, the lawsuit contends that Dylan and Katherine Houston were aware of his intentions. Court documents allege that Dylan Houston sent threatening messages to Ashley Prince and emailed Dennis Prince four days prior to the shooting, stating, “you have no idea what’s coming do you, all your cards are on the table and I haven’t played one.” The lawsuit further claims that Katherine Houston’s actions after the incident suggest complicity, noting that she exited the room without communicating with Joe Houston or checking on the Princes and did not return. Additionally, it asserts she transferred multiple properties into her name approximately two weeks later.
“The totality of circumstances underlying these matters … allows reasonable inference of a civil conspiracy among the Houston family members,” the complaint asserts. Bernstein is seeking damages exceeding $45,000. In response, Jonathan Hansen, attorney for Katherine Houston, told News 3 via email that the LVMPD investigation “found no evidence of collusion or involvement by anyone else in relation to the very tragic events that took place and that Mr. Houston acted alone. There was no conspiracy,” Hansen emphasized.
Similar complaints were previously filed by the executors of the estates of Ashley Prince and her children against Katherine Houston and the estate of Joe Houston. Those suits were consolidated into a single case, with a civil trial now scheduled for September 2027.
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