Bombshell update in cause of death of designer, 33, mysteriously found dead on tycoon's boat as legal troubles exposed

Scottish Sun

21 hours ago

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THE shocking death of a young designer on a luxury yacht has taken another twist as the boat owner's identity has finally been revealed.
Martha Nolan O'Slattara, 33, was found unconscious on the boat docked in a ritzy New York yacht club on August 5, with reports stating she died of an overdose after a business meeting.
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Martha Nolan, 33, who was found dead on a yacht in the early hours of August 5
Credit: Social Media Collect
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The boat docked at the Montauk Yacht Club where Nolan was found
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Martha Nolan and her boyfriend, Nicholas DiRubio
Credit: Social Media Collect
Despite previous reports of a naked man shouting about his "girlfriend" as Good Samaritans rushed to give Nolan CPR, the Irish-born entrepreneur's partner was reportedly not in Montauk when she died.
Witnesses recounted seeing the naked man who had been on the yacht screaming at people to help an unconscious Nolan.
Her boyfriend has since been named as 34-year-old sales exec Nicholas DiRubio by DailyMail.com, who also identified the boat owner as 60-year-old Christopher Durnan.
Nolan's cause of death is believed to be a suspected drug overdose, though it hasn't been officially determined, according to the New York Post.
It comes as new details emerged about Nolan's recent divorce and a lawsuit that accused her of taking $34,000 from her previous company's bank account.
RECENT DIVORCE
Nolan, who was born in Ireland and moved to New York when she was 26, filed for an uncontested divorce from her former husband, Sam Ryan, earlier this year, according to the Irish Independent.
The divorce proceedings were continuing as recently as April 8, filings by the New York County Supreme Court said.
She was dating another man, 34-year-old sales exec Nicholas DiRubio, at the time of her death and staying with him in the Montauk area for the summer, according to the Daily Mail.
Nolan reportedly went to talk with Durnan, a well-known figure at the yacht club, before she died, the New York Post reported.
The boat owner founded a large insurance firm that specializes in workers' compensation and reportedly invested over $200,000 in the designer's swimwear line, according to the Daily Mail.
Mystery Surrounds the Sudden Death of Fashion Designer Martha Nolan-O'Slattara in the Hamptons
He owns Ripple, the boat that cops were called to on Monday night, and another boat called Hell in a Bucket. Both names are nods to the Grateful Dead.
The day after the horrific discovery of Nolan's body, pictures of the boat revealed a white powdery substance on the seats of Ripple.
At the time of writing, both of the boats have left the spots where they were previously docked at the club, the Daily Mail said.
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Christopher Durnan, 60, who owns the boat where Nolan died
Credit: Instagram
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A white powdery substance seen on the Ripple docked at the Montauk Yacht Club on August 6, the day after Nolan was found dead
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
'SHORT TIMELINE'
Nolan had told DiRubio she was at a business meeting on the night she died, the Independent said.
In the hours before her death, she reportedly called her boyfriend and told him she was going to book an Uber and get home around 1 am.
"It was just her and the boat owner on the boat," a source close to Nolan's family told Irish outlet Extra.ie.
"She phoned her boyfriend and she told him she was just about to be picked up by an Uber."
The source noted, "There is such a short timeline between when she made the call and when the 911 call was made."
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."
Nolan reportedly had plans to marry DiRubio before her death.
"Martha and her boyfriend went to Ireland at Christmas. He met her family and getting married would have been the next step," the source told Extra.ie.
Nolan often showcased a life of private jets and glamorous vacations on her social media accounts before her death.
But she faced legal battles throughout her rise in the fashion world.
2022 LAWSUIT
Nolan and East x East swimwear co-founder Dylan Grace were slapped with a lawsuit in April 2022, according to a court filing by Manhattan luxury sunglasses brand Out East Accessories.
The company accused the pair, two former Out East employees, of stealing $34,000 from the company's bank account, along with the entire eyewear inventory, the complaint said.
Grace and Nolan allegedly changed the passwords belonging to the company owners and locked them out of their bank account, emails, and social media accounts, court records claimed.
'In the weeks leading up to their termination, and for months thereafter, Grace and Nolan ransacked Out East, stole all its assets and essentially destroyed the company,' the lawsuit claimed.
Nolan denied all allegations.
The case was settled in June 2022 and was dismissed the next month after both parties reached a confidential settlement.
The duo went on to launch East x East swimwear in 2023.
Nolan and Grace remained close as co-founders, as shown in Grace's heartbreaking tribute on social media after her death.
"We dreamed big together, laughed harder than anyone else could understand, and built so much from nothing," he wrote on Instagram.
"I'm truly blessed and grateful to have had you in my life. Love you so much Mar. Fly high girl."
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Nolan showed off a life of private jets and vacations on her social media accounts
Credit: TikTok/martha_nolan
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Nolan worked as a Manhattan-based fashion designer
Credit: Social Media Collect
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Nolan on a trip to Saint Barthélemy in a picture posted in February 2024
Credit: Social Media Collect
DEVASTATING LOSS
Nolan was born in Ireland and grew up in the Irish town of Carlow.
She received her bachelor's degree in commerce and a master's degree in digital marketing at the University College Dublin, according to her LinkedIn profile.
After college, Nolan moved to New York City to pursue her dream of being an entrepreneur.
She started as a bottle service girl in SoHo in downtown Manhattan before founding her own businesses.
The designer co-founded East x East, a swimwear line, and fashion accessories brand Duper.
She spent her summers in the Hamptons, where she put on pop-up shows for her designs and worked with wealthy clients in Montauk.
WAITING FOR ANSWERS
Police said there was no evidence of violence on Nolan's body.
Cops haven't filed any charges or identified any suspects in the case.
They haven't ruled out foul play as the investigation continues into her cause of death.
Her toxicology report has yet to be released.
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Nolan was sued by Out East Accessories in April 2022
Credit: Instagram/@martha_nolan