Authorities in New York have identified the woman found dead on a boat at a Montauk yacht club as local fashion designer Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra.
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A 33-year-old Manhattan resident was discovered dead on a boat docked in Montauk on Tuesday, according to a news release from the Suffolk County Police.
Police responded to a report of an unconscious woman on a boat at the Montauk Yacht Club on Star Island Road. Bystanders attempted CPR but were unsuccessful.
First responders arrived and pronounced her dead. Police stated that a “preliminary investigation and exam” at the time “were inconclusive” regarding her cause of death.
Police stated that an autopsy “did not show evidence of violence,” and the final cause of death is still under examination.
According to witnesses interviewed by local news outlet Patch, Nolan-O’Slatarra had been “partying” the day prior to her death.
Martha was a dedicated entrepreneur and the founder of the clothing brand East x East. Her brand took center stage in her final TikTok video, shared on July 1.
Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra’s Mother Recalls Their Last Conversation
Elma Nolan, the mother of Nolan-O’Slatarra, who hails from Carlow, Ireland—the entrepreneur’s hometown—shared her heartbreak with the Irish Independent. She described herself as “numb with shock” as she grapples with the devastating loss of her daughter.
“My younger daughter, Jacqui, arrived on Tuesday night and she was crying and shaking,” Elma told the outlet. “She said, ‘I have terrible news. Martha’s dead.’ ”
Martha’s mother revealed that she spoke with her daughter about a week before her passing, discussing Martha’s plans to return to Carlow.
“She wanted to know if I would be around to pick her up,” Elma recalled. “It was a very quick call because she is so busy.”
Elma learned about her daughter’s death the night she was found. However, she is struggling to get details about what happened on the boat. “I don’t know what happened to my daughter,” she admitted to the outlet.
Speaking with the Irish Independent in 2024, Nolan-O’Slatarra described herself as a “small town girl who needed to get out to achieve her big dreams.”
“I always knew I wanted to be successful, that I was money-driven, business-driven — and that fashion is a tough industry and it would be a slow road,” she added.
Members of the Montauk Yacht Club remembered Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra warmly, according to the New York Post. One member said Nolan-O’Slatarra was “well known in the community,” “very friendly,” and “always smiling.” They added, “There’s going to be a lot of conversation out of this.”