Owner of yacht where Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra died was sued for allegedly biting firefighter

Sunday World

21 hours ago

Former firefighter Michael Balfe was a Ground Zero first responder on 9/11.
The owner of the boat where Carlow bikini designer Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra died was previously sued for allegedly biting a retired New York firefighter at a tribute concert on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 in Manhattan.
Businessman Christopher Durnan (60), who reportedly invested more than $200,000 in Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra East x East bikini boutique, owned the yacht where the 33-year-old Irishwoman was found in the upmarket area of Montauk in the Hamptons, New York, on Tuesday last week.
Former firefighter Michael Balfe, who was a Ground Zero first responder, claimed in a civil suit that Durnan attacked him during a tribute concert at Webster Hall in Manhattan's East Village on September 11, 2021.
It was alleged in the civil suit that Durnan 'bit and assaulted' the firefighter in a unprovoked attack, the New York Post reported.
The suit, which was later settled, went on to allege that Mr Balfe 'sustained serious and permanent injuries, suffered, does suffer and will continue to suffer agony to body and mind'.
Christopher Durnan, 60
News in 90 Seconds - August 16th
Durnan had denied that the attack was unprovoked and claimed Mr Balfe started the fight and his 'use of force reasonable under the circumstances' according to court documents.
Durnan was initially charged with assault with intent to cause physical injury, possession of a controlled substance, attempted assault in the third degree, and harassment, according to court records.
He later pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct. The civil suit was settled in December 2023.
A lawyer for Mr Balfe told the New York Post: 'Out of respect for the family of the woman who tragically passed away and Mr. Balfe's own family, Michael will not be making a comment on the prior case involving Christoher Durnan.'
Durnan, who founded an insurance company, was described as 'guitar playing widower' in media reports.
Christopher, who founded a major insurance company, owns two boats- Ripple, where she was found, and another called Hell in a Bucket, both inspired by the Grateful Dead.
It has previously reported that Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra headed to the Montauk Yacht Club on the evening of August 4 for a business meeting with Durnan.
She was found dead on the boat while docked at the yacht club on August 5.
Suffolk police said last week that an autopsy conducted on the body who was found dead on the 32-foot pleasure boat Ripple on August 5 showed no evidence of violence.
They said confirmation of the cause of death was still pending.
Martha
Local media reported this week that the Suffolk County's interagency East End Drug Task Force is investigating whether drugs may have played a role in the death.
Police have also not ruled out homicide or death due to natural causes and have yet to release a toxicology report,
Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra who was originally from Carlow, moved to New York from Ireland around 10 years ago and launched a series of pop-up boutiques in the Hamptons featuring her line of swimwear and sunglasses.
She married Sam Ryan in Utah in 2020 but the couple's uncontested divorces was finalised in April.
She was in a relationship with sales executive Nicholas DiRubio at the time of her death and the pair spent Christmas in Ireland with her family.
She was spending the summer in Montauk with Mr DiRubio but he was reportedly out of town when the tragedy unfolded.
It is understood she spoke to her boyfriend hours before her death and said she was going to book an Uber and would be him around 1am.
Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra family have travelled to US to bring her body home. They have hired a lawyer and are seeking a 'second-opinion autopsy'.
The Irish Independent reported this week that Ms Nolan's mother Elma was asked by detectives about claims that her daughter had brain cancer.
It is not known who provided that information to the authorities.
Ms Nolan-O'Slatarra's mother, who was in contact with her daughter on an almost daily basis, was stunned by the claims and told detectives her ­daughter was 'perfectly healthy'.
'She told them there was nothing of the sort [affecting her],' a source said.