Custody battle that followed Summerlin law office shooting is resolved

A lengthy, contentious custody battle has resolved less than nine months after the case erupted into violence in a fatal shooting at a Summerlin law office.

Attorney Dennis Prince, 57, and his wife, Ashley Prince, 30, were shot and killed on April 8 by Ashley Prince’s former father-in-law, attorney Joe Houston, who then turned the gun on himself.

The shooting unfolded at Dennis Prince’s law office during a deposition in the custody battle between Ashley Prince and Joe Houston’s son, Dylan Houston, who is also an attorney. Joe Houston was representing his son while Dennis Prince was acting as his wife’s co-counsel.

Ashley Prince’s parents, Julie and Paul Page, stepped in the custody battle after she was killed, and the case was set to go to trial in late December. Before the trial could start, District Judge Dawn Throne asked for an off-the-record meeting with Dylan Houston and Ashley Prince’s parents, during which the parties resolved the case.

“I want to tell you all, thank you very much for being willing to talk with me and come to a reasonable resolution, I think that is in the best interest of the children,” Throne said at the end of the hearing on Dec. 30, according to a recording of the hearing obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The case started as divorce proceedings between Dylan Houston and Ashley Prince before morphing into the custody battle over the couple’s two young children. In court filings, the former couple’s lawyers disputed nearly every aspect of the custody agreement, from the location of child exchanges and attorneys fees, to alcohol monitoring and confrontations at the children’s extracurricular activities.

Ashley Prince’s attorneys accused her ex-husband of substance abuse and a pattern of threatening behavior, while Dylan Houston alleged his ex-wife used vindictive tactics and was unwilling to co-parent with him.

During a press conference shortly after Ashley Prince was killed, her parents told reporters that the “slow moving court battle” had “ultimately failed her.”

December’s court hearing that resolved the dispute without going to trial was over relatively quickly after the attorneys met in private with the judge.

Attorney Dana Dwiggins, who represents Ashley Prince’s parents, announced during the hearing that over the next year, the two young children will split their time between their father and their maternal grandparents. The following year, Paul and Julie Page will have custody of the children every other weekend.

Ashley Prince’s parents declined to comment on the resolution. Dylan Houston, who was representing himself at the end of the custody dispute, did not return a request for comment.

Throne could adjust the custody agreement in the future if she finds there is a change in circumstances that affect the children.

In September, the judge ordered that Paul Page would act as the guardian for the children’s estate. Dwiggins said during the December hearing that Paul Page would continue to act as guardian of the estate until a wrongful death lawsuit is resolved.

Attorneys have previously discussed in court the possibility of a wrongful death suit against Joseph Houston’s estate, although a wrongful death suit has not appeared in public court records as of Friday.

A guardianship dispute over Ashley Prince and Dennis Prince’s young child also resolved in November, court records show. In that case, Dennis Prince’s parents and Ashley Prince’s parents are all named as co-guardians of the child, and share physical custody, court records show.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240.