When somebody loses their life in a tragic way, there is often more of an emphasis on the way they died – rather than their living years. For those who are left behind, the comfort comes from instead remembering the milestones and the good times. Attorney Dennis Prince was much more than the victim of a violent crime. He was a beloved father, grandfather, son, husband, friend and a very consequential attorney in Nevada legal history.
Dennis Prince, 57, had a long, prestigious career. Over three decades practicing law, he had become one of the very best in the state of Nevada. But his life was cut short after he was tragically shot and killed in April. Dennis, along with his wife Ashley, were murdered at the Prince Law Group in Las Vegas. The alleged killer, Joe Houston, was Ashley’s former father-in-law. Authorities say the killings happened on April 8th during a heated custody battle, when Joe Houston’s wife was in the process of a deposition.
Joe Houston allegedly took his own life following the shootings at the Summerlin office. The crime destroyed three families. Also, the Prince Law Group was sadly closed, following Dennis Prince’s death.
Dennis Prince was a father to two step children and four children, including a baby with Ashley. She also had young children from a previous marriage.
The shocking murders of Dennis and Ashley Prince left their families and friends devastated. It also left a void in the legal community. The cases tried – and won – by Dennis Prince still impact many Nevadans.
Dennis Prince’s eldest daughter — Taylor Prince See – paid tribute to him following his death, by saying. “You would look at him and say, ‘That man is ready to get business done.’”
A “Law” Man
Dennis was recognized as one of the best trial lawyers in the State of Nevada. During his career, he has tried more than 100 cases to jury verdict. Dennis was recognized as the “Nevada Trial Lawyer of the Year” in 2016 by the Nevada Justice Association for his trial advocacy skills. Prince was also a past recipient of a “Legal Excellence Award” from Vegas Legal Magazine.
As a testament to his success, Dennis Prince obtained more than $500 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients. Dennis was so respected that many lawyers in Nevada and around the country referred cases to Dennis to try them on behalf of their clients.
Dennis was known for his wide-ranging background and experience in the areas of trial practice, personal injury, insurance law and commercial litigation. He had a record as both defense and plaintiff’s lawyers. Those cases included “numerous multi-million-dollar verdicts on behalf of victims of defective products and negligence,” his firm said.
Dennis Prince’s advocacy work included supporting a Nevada bill that would allow cameras in nursing homes – and other health care facilities – to protect against the abuse of the most-vulnerable patients.
In June 2023, AB202 was signed into legislation by Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo. The then-new law allowed for the patient — or their family member — to install a camera in their room. Facilities will be required to approve this request.
“The patient has to agree to waive the privacy rights that would basically hold the facility harmless for any privacy-related issues,” Dennis Prince said at the time to KVVU Fox 5. “One thing we see repeatedly in our cases against these facilities is that it is the patient’s word against the worker’s right.”
Dennis Prince would litigate many famous cases. He sued the Fashion Show Mall for wrongful death in the case of a tourist from Hawaii. A husband and wife were attacked in the mall parking lot on New Year’s Eve 2021. The attack resulted the death of the wife. The case shocked Las Vegas.
A lawsuit filed in District Court, in June 2023, said Clarice Yamaguchi, 66, “was traveling from Hawaii to Las Vegas with her husband Robert for the holidays … (and were) in the parking garage of the Fashion Show Mall on the Strip in Las Vegas,” the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
“As they walked from their car in the parking lot toward Dillard’s around 1:30 p.m., a silver BMW stopped and a man armed with a semi-automatic handgun exited the passenger side and tried to steal Clarice’s purse,” the complaint read. “Robert Yamaguchi struggled with the assailant, who shot Clarice in the neck,” according to the complaint, the R-J reported.
Clarice Yamaguchi would sadly die of her injuries at University Medical Center. The lawsuit, filed by Prince, alleged negligence and wrongful death on the part of Fashion Show Mall, Brookfield Properties Retail and Dillard’s.
Dennis Prince would fight for justice for the woman who lost her life in a senseless crime. In a case of tragic irony, his own life would end by gun violence less than year after that lawsuit was filed.
A Family Man
Dennis Prince was born on Feb. 2, 1967, in Las Vegas. Dennis attended Bonanza High School and obtained a degree in finance from University of Nevada, Las Vegas. After finishing law school at California Western, he returned to Las Vegas to raise his family and start his legal career.
Family, though, was always a top priority for Dennis Prince. A family tribute, posted online by Palm Mortuary after Dennis Prince’s death, praised the lawyer as a family man:
“Above all else, he was a devoted father to his four children and two step-children, a proud son to his parents, a loving husband, and an adoring grandfather,” the tribute said. “Dennis treasured every moment with his family and often remarked that his happiest moments were being surrounded by them. Whether it be going to the beach, cheering for his children from the sidelines at their baseball games and equestrian competitions, golf trips with his dad, or just simply enjoying baked goods made by his loving mother, he was so proud of the beautiful family he created.”
Dennis was survived by his parents Robert and Beverly McMaster, his son Scot Prince, his daughter Taylor Prince See, his son-in-law Malcolm See, his son Parker Prince, his daughter Palmer Prince, and his grandson Turner Prince See, along with two step children.
A childhood friend of Dennis Prince, James Halverson, called Prince “a brother from another mother,” in an interview with KTNV Channel 13 following Dennis Prince’s murder. “I’ll never have another friend like Dennis Prince…I have known him since the eighth grade and we have been friends ever since.” The two met as boys at Cashman Middle School in Las Vegas.
“Dennis’ top priority was being a good dad, a good son, a good husband and a good friend,” Halverson said.
Valerie Miller is an award-winning Las Vegas Valley-based journalist. She can be reached at (702) 683-3986 or [email protected].
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