The gunman who shot and killed his former daughter-in-law and her lawyer husband during a deposition at a Las Vegas law firm was reportedly diagnosed with terminal cancer
Joe Houston murdered prominent attorney Dennis Prince and his wife Ashley Prince, who he was representing, in her custody battle against her former husband, Dylan Houston, Headlines & Global News previously reported.
Dylan is Houston's son, and Houston was representing him in his custody battle.
Sources said the longtime lawyer and the grandfather to Ashley and Dylan's two children was battling terminal cancer, according to KTNV-TV. It's unclear what type.
Shortly into Monday's deposition, Houston opened fire on the Princes across the table, police said.
Ashley and Dennis were "very specific targets," Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Jason Johansson said, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Seven people, including a court reporter and another pregnant lawyer, were in the room at the time of the attack, the outlet reported. Houston "shooed away" at least one person in the room during the shooting, said Johansson.
The deposition was in response to an "emergency motion for sole custody of the minor children; and for attorneys' fees and costs," according to court records, the Review-Journal reported.
In records obtained by KLAS-TV, Dylan was accused of using cocaine and drinking alcohol while he had custody of his and Ashley's children. He also allegedly sent Ashley derogatory texts.
Ashley previously filed a restraining order against him in 2022, the documents showed.
She leaves behind three children, after recently welcoming a child with Dennis.
Dennis was a father of four, three of whom were from previous relationships.
