A fashion designer was found dead on a boat at a Long Island yacht club, and her family’s autopsy revealed “trace amounts” of cocaine in her system, which seems to clash with statements made by local authorities.
Martha Nolan Oslatala, 33, was discovered on August 4 at the Montauk Yacht Club. Suffolk County officials believe her death may have resulted from an overdose, noting the presence of a white powdery substance nearby, while also indicating no signs of violence were evident. They have, however, been hesitant to share more details, citing that they are still awaiting their official autopsy results.
In contrast, Oslatala’s family conducted a separate autopsy and reported no drugs that could have caused her death, only indicating a minor amount of cocaine that might have been in her system for days.
This additional autopsy did not clarify a cause of death; a source mentioned she was a “young, healthy woman,” and there were no signs of blunt force trauma or strangulation.
Arthur Aidala, the attorney for Oslatala’s family, briefly engaged with a reporter but hung up when asked about the second autopsy. He has previously dismissed claims that she had overdosed.
In interviews, Aidala expressed concern, stating, “Something doesn’t feel right here.” He confirmed that the family is continuing to push for clarity while allowing law enforcement to handle their investigation.
Suffolk County has denied requests for public documents related to the autopsy and toxicology reports, citing restrictions on their release.
Prior to her death, Oslatala had a business meeting planned with Christopher Durnan, a 60-year-old investor and boat owner. Family sources alleged that he intended the meeting to be romantic, despite Durnan’s insistence that it was business-oriented. He reportedly drove the boat to their meeting spot.
Later claims from Durnan’s legal representative relayed that while he initially denied any romantic involvement, he later backtracked and mentioned he cared for Oslatala as a friend.
According to statements, while on the boat, she suddenly became limp, leading to attempts to revive her with CPR, which were unsuccessful. Durnan was found in a distressed state shortly after, as Oslatala had vomited on her clothes.
His lawyer described Durnan as devastated by the incident, saying he “watched his friend die” and was deeply affected.
