The family of New York-based Irish fashion designer Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra is preparing to pursue a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against the man whose boat she was found dead on in the Hamptons last year.
Nolan-O’Slatarra, 33, was discovered unresponsive aboard a boat owned by Christopher Durnan, 61, at the Montauk Yacht Club on August 5, 2025. No criminal charges have been filed against Durnan in connection with her death.
Family alleges reckless conduct
Nolan-O’Slatarra’s family filed a summons with notice in Manhattan Supreme Court last week, naming Durnan and accusing him of assault, gross negligence and reckless and wanton conduct related to her death.
The filing marks a significant new development in a case that has remained unresolved since the fashion entrepreneur was found dead on the vessel.
Michael Bowe, an attorney representing Nolan-O’Slatarra’s family at Brithem LLP, said the family had carried out its own investigation and disputed the idea that intoxicants caused her death.
According to Bowe, emergency medical personnel reported finding blood in Nolan-O’Slatarra’s mouth and on parts of her body, as well as on the floor of the boat. He also pointed to observations about the condition and temperature of her body that the family believes warrant further scrutiny.
Those claims have not been established as the official cause of death.
Medical examiner has not released final cause
The Suffolk County medical examiner has yet to publicly announce a final cause and manner of death.
In the days after Nolan-O’Slatarra died, Suffolk County police said her autopsy showed no evidence of violence, while noting that the final cause of death was still awaiting further examination.
The police department has declined to comment on the difference between its earlier statement and the allegations now made by Nolan-O’Slatarra’s family.
According to police, East Hampton Town officers were called to the Montauk Yacht Club shortly before midnight after a man reported finding a woman unconscious on a boat. First responders pronounced Nolan-O’Slatarra dead at the scene after bystanders tried to revive her with CPR.
Durnan’s lawyer previously described him as devastated
Durnan has not been criminally charged over Nolan-O’Slatarra’s death.
His attorney, Robert Holdman, previously told New York magazine that Durnan was devastated by what happened, describing him as having watched his friend die in a traumatic situation.
Durnan did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the new lawsuit.
The civil case could now bring renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding Nolan-O’Slatarra’s final hours, including what happened aboard the boat before emergency crews arrived.
Irish designer who chased a New York dream
Nolan-O’Slatarra was originally from Ireland and had built a career in New York's fashion and business world. She was the founder of swimwear brand East x East, and had spoken openly about moving to the US in pursuit of her ambitions.
In a 2024 interview with the Irish Independent, she described herself as a small-town girl determined to leave home and build a successful career.
Her death at 33 cut short a business journey she had worked to establish in New York.
The forthcoming wrongful death case is expected to put fresh focus on the unanswered questions surrounding Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra’s death in Montauk, while the official medical determination of how she died remains pending.
