Martha Nolan Cause of Death: NYC Designer Insurance Moghul Christopher Durnan Before She Was Found Dead on Boat in Montauk Yacht Club

The circumstances under which New York City swimwear designer Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra died in the Hamptons last week and the cause of her death has been revealed. Nolan-O’Slatarra possibly died of drug overdose, according to The Daily Mail. Police have launched an investigation and have not found anything suspicious in the designer’s death.

The 33-year-old traveled to the upscale Montauk Yacht Club on the evening of August 4 to meet with insurance executive Christopher Durnan, 60, according to sources, who spoke to the outlet. Durnan — a widower and guitarist linked with several boats named after Grateful Dead songs—is believed to have invested over $200,000 in the Irish designer’s swimwear business.

Shocking Things Before Death

The meeting took a tragic turn when, around midnight, Durnan ran down the dock naked, screaming for help and saying that Martha had lost consciousness. Witnesses called 911 and boarded a boat named Ripple in an attempt to revive the blonde, blue-eyed designer.

However, she was pronounced dead at the scene on August 5, with sources telling the Daily Mail that Martha likely died from a suspected drug overdose involving cocaine or other narcotics.

Photos taken the following morning showed a light scattering of a dusting of a mysterious white powder on a seat aboard the 50-foot cabin cruiser, which bore the Grateful Dead’s “Steal Your Face” logo — a skull with a lightning bolt — on its stern.

The outlet also identified Martha’s boyfriend as 34-year-old sales executive Nicholas DiRubio, who was reportedly out of town when the incident occurred.

Police said that no signs of violence or physical harm were found on Nolan-O’Slatarra’s body but are waiting for toxicology results before they release a formal cause of death.

Her family has been told the process could take up to three months, according to Irish media reports. Durnan founded the Durnan Group in 1981 specializing in workers’ compensation insurance.

A Lot Still in Mystery

As of Monday, the Ripple was no longer docked at the Montauk Yacht Club, a 16-acre Star Island resort offering slips for 200 boats along with upscale amenities such as a tennis court and two swimming pools.

Local sources said a crew arrived at dawn last Friday to sail the yacht away.

Another boat believed to be owned by Durnan — a five-engine powerboat called Hell In a Bucket, also referencing the Grateful Dead — reportedly left the club the previous night, the source added.

The father of two is believed to divide his time between a five-bedroom, $6 million mansion in Long Beach, New York, and an equally luxurious home in Lantana, near Palm Beach, Florida.

Durnan suffered a heartbreaking personal tragedy in 2018 when his wife, Marie, died unexpectedly at the age of 49. Her obituary described her as a devoted wife, loving mother, and “adored aunt to 23 nieces and nephews.” The cause of death was not made public.

Martha, a self-made entrepreneur, was raised in Carlow, a picturesque village in southeast Ireland surrounded by rolling green countryside.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the prestigious University College Dublin and later obtained a master’s degree in digital marketing from the Smurfit Graduate School of Business.

At just 26, she became vice president of client experiences at an Ireland-based retail marketing firm — but admitted to the outlet that she felt unfulfilled in her career.

In 2021, she went on to launch the swimwear brand East x East along with a fashion accessories label, Duper.