A New York City fashion designer, Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, 33, was found dead on a yacht in Montauk, New York, in August 2025, with new medical records revealing disturbing details about the scene. According to an EMT report obtained by the New York Post, Nolan-O'Slatarra's body showed signs of purpling on her face, chest, and the back of her head, along with blood on the floor near her body. She was also noted to be cold to the touch.
Paramedics attempted resuscitation at the scene, but she was pronounced dead. The report indicated no active bleeding or obvious sources of trauma, but her family disputes the initial findings, alleging suspicious behavior from the yacht's owner, Christopher Durnan, 60.
Durnan, an investor, had met with Nolan-O'Slatarra on his yacht, named Ripple, to discuss her swimwear fashion company, East x East. He was later observed running naked down the dock around midnight on August 5, reportedly screaming for help. Durnan's attorney stated his client was naked because his clothing was soaked in the victim's vomit, though family lawyers claim no soiled clothes or signs of vomit were found.
Nolan-O'Slatarra's family is preparing to file a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Durnan, who had invested over $200,000 in her fashion boutique. The lawsuit accuses him of causing her death through assault and negligence. The family's legal team has also raised concerns, stating that law enforcement informed them the scene had been cleaned before responders arrived.
Durnan's attorney maintains his client is not responsible for Nolan-O'Slatarra's death, asserting that she became unresponsive between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. on August 4, and Durnan attempted CPR. Nolan-O'Slatarra, originally from Carlow, Ireland, had moved to New York City about a decade prior, establishing fashion accessory brand Duper and luxury swimwear label East x East.