Fashion Designer's Mysterious Death on Luxury Yacht Probed

On August 5, 2022, fashion designer Martha Nolan met with insurance executive Christopher Durnan at the Montauk Yacht Club to discuss her fledgling fashion label. The two then set out on Durnan's fishing boat to drink champagne and watch the sunset. However, Nolan later became unresponsive, and Durnan was seen running down the dock, throwing sunscreen at a neighboring boat and calling for help.

Authorities in Long Island are still investigating Nolan's tragic death, but a clearer picture has emerged of the aspiring businesswoman and her wealthy benefactor. Durnan's lawyer claimed that Nolan suddenly went limp around 10:30 or 11 PM, and Durnan tried to perform CPR, but it was too late. However, there appears to be a gap of at least an hour between when Nolan lost consciousness and when police were called.

Adding to the mystery, Durnan was found unclothed, which many of Nolan's friends found suspicious. His lawyer claimed Durnan had to remove his clothes because they were soaked in Nolan's vomit. Durnan also has a history of legal troubles, including a previous arrest for allegedly punching and biting a first responder.

Nolan's grief-stricken family has traveled from Ireland to the US to demand a second-opinion autopsy into her cause of death. The final post-mortem report, including toxicological and other testing, is expected to take at least three months to conclude. If the toxicology reports come back positive for drug use, the dealers could face manslaughter or criminally negligent homicide charges.