‘Everyone is worried about you,’ mom wrote in letter to son Dylan Houston

Around the time that Dylan Houston filed for divorce, his mother sent him a handwritten letter expressing concern for his well-being, according to recently released Family Court documents.

“Everyone is worried about you. We have been told you are a drug addict and alcoholic. Not words a mother wants to hear,” Katherine Houston wrote. “I don’t fault anyone for addictions they may have. As long as they can recognize them and take steps to correct them.”

Katherine Houston was being deposed the morning of April 8, when her husband opened fire in a law office — killing his former daughter-in-law, Ashley Prince, and her new husband, Dennis Prince — before turning the gun on himself.

The gunman, attorney Joseph Houston II, was representing his son in a bitter child custody battle. His son, also an attorney, was not present.

Family Court records, unsealed by a judge on Friday, detail a yearslong, contentious legal fight between Dylan Houston and his ex-wife. It’s unclear how Ashley Prince obtained the undated letter, which was filed by her attorneys.

Lawyer Gerald Hardcastle, who now represents Dylan Houston, could not be reached for comment on Friday afternoon.

At the time the shots were fired, Katherine Houston was answering questions about Dylan’s drinking, according to her attorney, Lisa Rasmussen, who declined to comment on her client’s letter. Rasmussen witnessed the shooting.

In the letter, Katherine Houston wrote that she was surprised to learn that her son wanted a divorce. She encouraged him to learn from his mistakes and try to be a better person.

She also warned him that going down the wrong path could end his career as an attorney. She affectionately referred to his son and daughter, now ages 4 and 5, and emphasized the importance of focusing on the kids.

“Please think about them as you move forward with your life,” she wrote. “Make good choices. I love you so much Dylan.”

Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @ByBrianaE on Twitter.