Mystery still surrounds death of Irish fashion designer at exclusive Montauk Yacht Club
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Many questions remain about the mysterious death of a rising Irish fashion entrepreneur who appeared to be living the American dream before she was found dead on a boat docked at an exclusive yacht club in Montauk, New York, more than a week ago.

Martha Nolan, a 33-year-old swimwear designer with the up-and-coming East X East, became unresponsive on the vessel at around midnight between Aug. 4 and Aug. 5 at the private Montauk Yacht Club on the eastern tip of Long Island, police said. 

The owner of the vessel, a man in his 60s who was reportedly naked when he raised the alarm, frantically ran along the dock looking for neighbors to help resuscitate her, one witness told 27East, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Martha Nolan

The circumstances surrounding Nolan’s death have sparked intrigue, as she was reportedly alone on the boat with its owner despite being in a long-term relationship with another man. (Martha Nolan/Instagram)

People who were aboard other boats at the Montauk Yacht Club on the night told 27East that the boat owner owned two boats docked next to each other at the marina and came crying for help, throwing items at neighboring boats to wake up their crews.

Forensics expert Joseph Scott Morgan told “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday that an analysis of the boat, along with toxicology results, could provide vital clues about what happened. Police have not said whether anything suspicious was found on the vessel and have not suggested that any illegal activity occurred on the boat.

“The question I want to know is, when they swept through this vessel, did they encounter any trove of drugs in there?” Morgan said. “And it doesn’t have to be huge packages – I’m talking about baggies of things, anything indicative of current or long-standing drug abuse… syringes, coke spoons… scales if you’re looking at a wider operation.”

Police search a boat and Martha Nolan

Many questions remain unanswered about the mysterious death of an Irish fashion entrepreneur who died on a boat docked at an exclusive yacht club in Montauk, New York, more than a week ago. (Tiktok/ @martha_nolan; Doug Kuntz)

“You hear the story of an individual alerting the rest of the public, and he’s nude and he’s running outside of the boat screaming… I gotta tell you, man, I’ve got questions.”

Renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden told Fox News Digital previously that authorities in Suffolk County should know the cause of death “within a week,” pending toxicology results. 

In addition to her personal legal disputes, Nolan was also involved in legal conflicts related to her business dealings.

According to a 2022 civil lawsuit filed by Out East Accessories Inc., viewed by Fox News Digital, she was accused of being terminated for cause in late 2021 and then stealing $34,000 from the company’s bank account and its entire inventory of luxury eyewear. 

According to the court filing, she and another individual “ransacked Out East,” sold or gifted the products without authorization, and caused irreparable financial harm to the business. Nolan denied the allegations through counsel.

The case was dismissed with prejudice in July 2022 after both parties reached a confidential settlement, effectively closing the matter permanently.

Montauk Harbor sign

Nolan was a frequent visitor to Montauk and lived in Manhattan. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

The Irish entrepreneur’s swimwear label was flourishing in the highly competitive market and locals said they were familiar with it.

Earlier in the summer, she secured a pop-up shop at Gurney’s, regarded as one of the most exclusive retail spots in the Hamptons.

On social media, the Irish immigrant shared behind-the-scenes footage of her brand, including photoshoots and pop-up events, as well as footage of her riding in private jets and helicopters. 

Locals told Fox News Digital last week that she was friendly, well-liked and deeply passionate about her business.

“She was very sweet, very, very sweet… very invested in her business and actually it was starting to take off,” one woman said. “She was very proud of her accomplishments.”

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