The girlfriend of a young doctor who was fatally stabbed during a home invasion has hit back at speculation that her mysterious disappearance from the same home a year ago is linked to his death – as the doctor’s best friend breaks his silence.
Dr Ash Gordon’s partner Dakota Nagel, 25, made headlines last year after disappearing from the couple’s Doncaster home, in Melbourne’s north-east, after spending the night clubbing with friends on January 8.
After a week-long search, police located Ms Nagel safe on January 15, with the nature of her ‘out-of-character’ disappearance never explained.
On Saturday, Dr Gordon was tragically stabbed to death after the same Sargent St home was broken into by a gang of thugs during the early hours of the morning. His killers remain at large.
The 33-year-old GP of a nearby Box Hill medical clinic, bravely chased his attackers out of the home at 5am before he was fatally stabbed during a confrontation some 500metres away on Elidon Street.
‘As far as we are concerned, the individuals involved in my disappearance were not involved in Ash’s tragic death, and there is no link between the two,’ Ms Nagel told the Herald Sun.
Dr Ash Gordon’s partner Dakota Nagel, 25, made headlines last year after disappearing from the couple’s Doncaster home, in Melbourne’s north-east, on January 8
One year later, Dr Gordon (right) was tragically stabbed to death after the same Sargent St home was broken into by a gang of thugs during the early hours of Saturday
‘Please during this time of grieving be mindful of speculating as it causes more harm and heartache than good.
‘We would like people to respect our right to privacy.’
It comes as Tristen Standing, Dr Gordon’s long-time friend and roommate, told Daily Mail he’s ‘struggling to comprehend’ what life will look like without his best friend by his side.
The pair, who met in primary school, were inseparable throughout their lives – from growing up in Gippsland, enjoying their early 20s dancing at festivals and travelling overseas, to spending the last decade as housemates at various addresses across Melbourne – including the Doncaster unit burgled on Saturday.
While unable to speak about the events of Saturday morning due to the active police investigation, Mr Standing said detectives say they are close to catching his best friend’s killers.
Part of the investigation will centre around two laptops from Dr Gordon’s home – one was used for gaming while the other was a personal work computer which contained confidential information about patients.
Mr Standing said making the calls to Dr Gordon’s family about his death was the hardest thing he’s ever had to do.
In a sad coincidence, the family were travelling from Gippsland to Melbourne that day to see him and get work done at his clinic.
Tristen Standing (right) is struggling to comprehend what life will look like now his best friend, Dr Gordon, (left) is no longer by his side
While unable to speak about the events of Saturday due to the active police investigation, Mr Standing (left) said detectives say they are close to catching his best friend’s killer
Mr Standing said Dr Gordon was so loved there is talk of getting a bus to bring people from Melbourne to Gippsland for his funeral as his family anticipate a massive turnout.
The electrician, who owns his own air conditioning company, said it was just last year his best mate was standing by his bedside, nursing him back to health, after he was electrocuted on a job.
While working on a roof, several electrical currents went through his entire body, knocking him flat.
‘I thought I was going to die. I was in bad shape. My hair smelt like burnt bacon,’ he told Daily Mail .
‘I eventually came to and the first person I called was Ash. He told me to get to hospital straight away.
‘When I arrived, next thing I know, there are like 20 doctors surrounding me. Like I’m a specimen.
He had called the hospital ahead of my arrival to let them know his best mate was coming in and asked them to ‘look after me.’
A short time later, to Mr Standing’s surprise, his best friend waltzed into his hospital room, dressed in scrubs.
‘He’d dropped everything to take time off to be there with me,’ he recalled.
‘He stayed there by my side, keeping me company and feeding me ice.
‘He was such a great bloke. Completely selfless.’
‘Everything was going great for him. He was in the prime of his life,’ Mr Standing said of his best friend, Dr Gordon, who was fatally stabbed in a horror home invasion on Saturday
Growing up, Mr Standing and Dr Gordon spent their days going to school then playing together on their families properties.
In the classroom, Dr Gordon was a natural intellectual whose academic prowess shone as he helped his friends and other students solve math problems.
In Year 10, he was voted by the class as the student most likely to succeed in life, before later graduating high school with honours.
Mr Standing said Dr Gordon was drawn to medicine because of his interest in science and passion for helping people – and, of course, the appealing income.
His patience, down to earth nature, and candid approach quickly made him popular among clients, with many following him as he moved to different clinics.
Fiercely ambitious, organised, and fastidious, Dr Gordon worked and exercised six days a week, while also launching his own business.
Mr Standing and Dr Gordon grew up together in Gippsland and enjoyed their early 20s dancing at festivals and travelling overseas. They spent the last decade as housemates
Aside from his GP work, he also ran Richmond-based cosmetic clinic Redefine Aesthetics, which specialises in skin health, wellness and anti-ageing.
When his cosmetic clinic – which he mapped the interior design for by himself – opened around February last year, it was the ‘best day of his life’.
‘He was so happy when it finally opened. He said it was ‘best day of his life,’ Mr Standing recalled.
‘Everything was going great for him. He was in the prime of his life.’
Mr Standing said Dr Gordon, and his girlfriend of six years, Ms Nagel, had been planning on moving to Kew, which is closer to the Richmond clinic, but had been yet to find the right property.
The trio were so close they had always joked that Mr Standing would forever be living with the couple.
Mr Standing (far left) said Dr Gordon (far right) was fiercely protective of the people he loved and didn’t hesitate to spring into action when intruders entered their home
A team of detectives were seen scouring a property near Dr Gordon’s two-storey unit on Tuesday morning, with an officer carrying evidence bags to a vehicle (pictured)
Mr Standing said Dr Gordon was fiercely protective of the people he loved and didn’t hesitate to spring into action when intruders entered their home.
While Dr Gordon touched the lives of everyone he met, Mr Standing said he felt honoured to be his best friend.
‘I’m just lucky he picked me, to spend all of those hours, days, weeks with,’ he said.
‘Nobody will ever be able to fill that hole in my life.
He is irreplaceable.’
A team of detectives were seen scouring a property near Dr Gordon’s two-storey unit on Tuesday morning, with an officer carrying evidence bags to a vehicle.
Anyone with information or CCTV has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers.