Fashion Designer Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra's Montauk Death Ruled Homicide as Suspect Hunt Intensifies

The passing of fashion designer Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra has officially been classified as a homicide by Long Island investigators, multiple law enforcement sources exclusively shared with Us Weekly.“It was a murder,” one source stated definitively. “At the moment, everyone is trying to build a case against [the suspect], but I cannot specify how close we are to making an arrest.”Nolan-O’Slatarra, age 33, was found lifeless on August 5 aboard a vessel anchored at a Montauk yacht club. East Hampton Town Police were dispatched to the Montauk Yacht Club in response to a report of an unconscious individual, but by the time officers arrived, Nolan-O’Slatarra had been deceased for several hours.Onlookers reportedly attempted to revive Nolan-O’Slatarra, who was a prominent bikini and apparel designer in the Hamptons scene. Investigators interviewed witnesses who reported hearing screams emanating from the yacht club’s dock on the same day her body was discovered.An official cause of death for the Irish national remains pending, but medical examiners observed certain marks on Nolan-O’Slatarra’s body that suggested she had recently suffered violence.Nolan-O’Slatarra established the East x East clothing label. She also founded the Brand Growth Consultants company, according to her Instagram profile.Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra’s Family Searching for ‘Details' After Her DeathEast x East was launched as a “sustainable resort wear brand” based on the philosophy that “fashion should not come at the expense of our planet,” as stated on the brand’s website. The company offers accessories, apparel, and swimwear for both men and women.Nolan-O’Slatarra resided in Montauk with her long-term boyfriend, who sources confirmed has been cleared as a suspect in her murder.According to her LinkedIn profile, Nolan-O’Slatarra attended University College Dublin, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management, followed by a master’s degree in digital marketing. After working in Ireland for a few years, Nolan-O’Slatarra relocated to New York City in 2015 at age 26.Sources indicated that only trace amounts of cocaine were present in Nolan-O’Slatarra’s system.The New York Post reported that Nolan-O’Slatarra had scheduled a meeting with investor and boat owner Christopher Durnan, 60, to discuss a potential business collaboration shortly before her death.Nolan-O’Slatarra intended to meet with Durnan regarding a potential investment in East x East. However, a family source informed the Daily Mail that the insurance executive was hoping to turn the evening into a “romantic interlude.”The source further added: “He was the one controlling the arrangement of when and where they were meeting.”Robert Holdman, Durnan’s attorney, told New York magazine last November that the meeting was strictly professional, although he claimed the pair had also “actually dated.”Holdman later retracted this statement when pressed by New York magazine for more details, clarifying that Durnan had described his relationship with Nolan-O’Slatarra as friendly and denied involvement in a “hard relationship” with her.Durnan allegedly claimed to Holdman that while he and Nolan-O’Slatarra were on the boat, she suddenly went limp, and he attempted unsuccessfully to revive her by performing CPR.