Short and slender, with a large head of wavy, greying hair, Ken Nash married and moved into 12 Waratah Street Chatswood in 1956. In charge of photography at the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), he knew Geoffrey Chandler, but had never met either of the Chandlers socially until 21st December 1962. On that day the Nashs and the Chandlers both attended the CSIRO barbeque at Murraybank. The Chandlers, the Paytens and Isabella Margaret Beavis were invited back to Waratah Street. Here Nash issued an invitation to the New Year's Eve party, which was accepted. He had known Gilbert Bogle for five or six years.
Ken Nash didn't greet the Chandlers when they first arrived. He was in another part of the house. Before midnight he mixed drinks at the bar in the study, and he helped hang each piece of "art" in a suitable place. He appeared to disapprove of Geoffrey Chandler's casual attire, explaining at the inquest:
I had explained at great length that dress for the party was to be a frock-type dress for the women and jackets and ties for the men.
Ken Nash believed the party had been quite animated, where "the main enjoyment was conversation". Bogle appeared to be in good spirits. Later, at the inquest, where Ken Nash was the first witness called, Sergeant Don Goode asked: "Was he [Bogle] the life of the party?" Nash replied: "I don't like that term. It connotes a sense of irresponsibility". As for the Chandlers, according to Nash they "confined themselves to a small area of the room in which they were standing. They seemed a little retiring, but quite content." He believed that everyone was completely sober at midnight. Dr Bogle by this time had consumed five glasses of beer, Mr Chandler four, and Mrs Chandler three.
Mr Nash first noticed Geoffrey Chandler's absence just after midnight, and commented on this to his wife. He and Ruth, standing in the kitchen, saw Bogle and Mrs Chandler standing on the back lawn, about a metre apart, and several metres from the back door.
Party in jest, from a point of puckish humour, I switched off the light which spilt onto the lawn. They thereupon returned to the house, within a few seconds.
Ken Nash announced that he was vacating the bar. He left with Jack Johnson to pick up Nanna Day-Hakker from Forestville. He returned to the party at about 12:30am.
Ken Nash next saw Mr Chandler at about 3:00am. He offered Mr Chandler some hot food. Mr Chandler refused and asked if he could mix himself a drink. About half an hour later, he noticed that the Chandlers were sitting together, and had been joined by Bogle. Ken Nash saw the Rudds off, with his wife, and testified later:
About this time Mr and Mrs O'Donnell said they were about to leave. On the front verandah we checked our watches. It was 3:40. They left about 3:45, and when my wife and I returned into the house I became conscious of Dr Bogle's presence because he was sitting on the chaise lounge with Mrs Chandler. Mr Chandler was not there.
At about 4:20am, Bogle announced that he was going, and asked Ken Nash for his "artwork". Nash fetched it for him, and Bogle walked alone to the front door.
A short time later Ken Nash was standing on the front verandah with his wife to see Miss Beavis off. Margaret Chandler was standing on the path at the foot of the steps. Ken Nash noticed that she was not carrying her handbag. Mrs Chandler looked at Ken Nash and his wife, then turned around slowly, walked down the garden path and out the gate, and took 10 or 12 paces to the left. Miss Beavis left within a few seconds of Mrs Chandler.
On 2nd January, 1963, Ken Nash promised the press that Chandler would make a statement. In the evening, he phoned Geoffrey Chandler at John Morphett's home, and told him as much. Geoffrey Chandler refused, and commented later that Nash "appeared very perturbed that I would not fulfil this promise."
Having returned to work, Nash met Chandler in a passageway and expressed his sympathy. He asked Chandler if he had any idea as to what could have happened. The latter replied "no", but apparently agreed with Nash that Dr Bogle and Chandler's wife couldn't have been affected by alcohol.
In a statement issued to the press, before police advised all parties involved not to make statements, Ken Nash said that he refused to believe Bogle and Chandler to be victims of suicide, or foul play. He was of the opinion that Bogle and Chandler died by some kind of accident.
Ken Nash was the first witness called to the Bogle-Chandler inquest, on 7 May, 1963. He was to be followed by his wife, and 50 other witnesses, 48 of whom gave evidence.
On 1 January 1974, Ruth Nash died. By this time they lived in Robinson Street, Chatswood. Ken Nash became a virtual recluse. According to his neighbour, Basil Lott, Nash invited him over for a drink only once. They talked all night about the Bogle-Chandler case, about which Nash seemed obsessed. He had a pile of newspaper clippings about the case.
On 1 January 1976, exactly 2 years after the death of his wife, and exactly 13 years after the deaths of Bogle and Chandler, Ken Nash became the 4th person from the party to die on New Year's Day. He went with a 0.22 calibre semi-automatic rifle to a vacant lot near his home, placed it between his knees, and shot himself. He left a note for his neighbours, apologising for the inconvenience of finding his body.