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THE family of the fashion designer who was found dead on a yacht in the Hamptons last week is firing back at speculation about her death.
Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra’s family is desperate for answers in their daughter’s death, and they recently hired a lawyer to represent them as police continue to investigate the mystery.
Martha Nolan-O’Slattara, 33, died in the Hamptons on August 5[/caption]
Christopher Durnan’s boat, Ripple, was docked at the Montauk Yacht Club[/caption]
Christopher Durnan, 60, who owns the boat where Nolan was found unconscious[/caption]
Nolan was found unconscious on a boat named the Ripple that was docked at the luxurious Montauk Yacht Club on August 5, police said.
The boat belonged to insurance mogul Christopher Durnan, 60, who reportedly ran down the dock screaming for help that night.
Speculation began to grow that Nolan could have died of a drug overdose after cops said there was no evidence of violence, and a drug task force joined the investigation.
Now, the family’s attorney, Arthur Aidal, shot down the rumors at a press conference on Wednesday.
The Irish-born entrepreneur’s family “did not know her to be someone who used drugs,” Aidala said.
He said the family is worried that if there were drugs involved, they worry that Nolan was unknowingly slipped something.
“If there was any kind of drug and drug use, they want to know. Who’s doing the drugs?” Aidala said.
The family is asking for any more details about Nolan’s final hours as cops continue their “deep dive” into the case.
“They want more details. The circumstances surrounding this are far from typical,” Aidala said.
He said the family wants to know who was with Nolan that night.
“Earlier that evening, at the time of the actual incident, we know one person who was there. Was anyone else around?” Aidala said.
He said police are still working to interview people who might know anything about Nolan’s death.
“The family has had a sit-down with the Suffolk County homicide detectives,” Aidala told reporters.
“They are doing a deep, deep dive, a deep investigation.”
Timeline of Martha Nolan’s death
Young entreprenur Martha Nolan, 33, was found dead on a yacht in the Hamptons last Tuesday. Below is a timeline of her final days:
Tuesday, August 5
Just after midnight, East Hampton police respond to a 911 call from a man who found a woman unresponsive on a docked boat at the Montauk Yacht Club. Good Samaritans attempt CPR but first responders pronounce her dead at the scene.
Wednesday, August 6
An initial autopsy finds no evidence of violence. The woman is identified as Martha Nolan-O’Slattara.
Thursday, August 7
Nolan’s mom tells the Irish Independent that her family is “numb with shock.”
Tuesday, August 12
Suffolk County’s East End Drug Task Force joins the investigation into Nolan’s death.
He added, “People are still being questioned, there are technological analyses still being done.”
No one has been charged with any crime in connection with the case. Police ruled out any foul play.
Toxicology results are still pending from the medical examiner’s office.
Nolan’s mother, Elma, and sister, Jacqui, travelled with multiple other family members from the small Irish town of Carlow to start the repatriation process for the designer, according to the Irish Times.
The family is seeking a second postmortem examination so they can determine the cause of her death.
Nolan owned a swimwear line called East x East[/caption]
A white powdery substance seen on the boat where Nolan died[/caption]
Nolan, who lived in the Upper East Side, spent the summers in the Hamptons to host pop-ups for her swimwear brand, East x East.
She often showcased luxury vacations and trips on private jets on her social media accounts.
On the night of her death, Nolan told her boyfriend, a sales exec who was out of town, that she was having a business meeting and would take an Uber home by 1 am.
She was with Durnan, who reportedly invested over $200,000 in her high-end swimwear line East x East and who has a house in the Montauk area.
He owns an insurance company called the Durnan Group, which focuses on workers’ compensation insurance.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
