The family of Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra has launched a public tip line one year after the 33-year-old fashion designer died under mysterious circumstances aboard a yacht docked at the Montauk Yacht Club.
Nolan-O’Slatarra’s relatives unveiled MarthaTipline.com in an effort to gather fresh leads as their $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Christopher Durnan, the last person known to have seen her alive, moves forward. The site was established by attorney Michael Bowe of Brithem LLP, who is representing the family in their civil case.
“The family of Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra and their legal team are seeking information that may help their investigation into her death in Montauk,” the tip site states. “Brithem’s legal team continues to investigate and is asking anyone with information to come forward.”
The Irish-born designer died on August 5, while on Durnan’s boat “Ripple,” which was moored at the exclusive Montauk Yacht Club. She was 33 years old. The circumstances surrounding her final hours have drawn increasing scrutiny from both investigators and her grieving relatives, who have grown frustrated with the pace of the official probe.
According to a Montauk Fire Department patient care report referenced in the family’s lawsuit, an unidentified man on the scene called authorities and reported that he had been in bed with Nolan-O’Slatarra and could not wake her. The lawsuit also notes that Durnan was reportedly seen completely naked running down the yacht club’s dock and calling for others to “do something.”
The family is casting a wide net with their new appeal. Their website solicits information from anyone who was at or near the Montauk Yacht Club during the critical window, or who interacted with either Nolan-O’Slatarra or Durnan in the day before her death and the day her body was discovered.
“Even if you are unsure whether what you know is important, we want to hear from you,” the website says.
Durnan has been named as the defendant in the wrongful death action, which seeks $50 million in damages. The case remains open as law enforcement continues its investigation alongside the parallel civil proceedings.
Nolan-O’Slatarra had built a career as a fashion entrepreneur in New York City after emigrating from Ireland, establishing herself in an industry known for its fierce competition. Her trajectory from immigrant to Hamptons-adjacent designer represented a classic aspirational narrative cut short by the events of that August night.
The tip line’s launch marks a shift in strategy for a family that has otherwise relied on formal legal channels to press for answers. By appealing directly to the public, they appear to be betting that someone in the tight-knit summer community of Montauk has remained silent about what they saw or heard.
The one-year anniversary of Nolan-O’Slatarra’s death has renewed media attention on a case that has produced more questions than answers. Neither the Suffolk County Police Department nor the East Hampton Town Police have announced any criminal charges in connection with the death.
The family’s lawsuit continues to move through the courts as they await responses to their public appeal.