The estate of the late Dolly Parton is involved in a dispute with the country music star’s nephew and former head of security, and was granted a restraining order against him and his private security company amid allegations of threats.
Bryan Seaver was responsible for Parton’s security, and was tasked with announcing her death on 25 August with a video, “something Dolly asked of me years ago”, he said.
But since the singer died, her estate, which is run by Parton’s manager Danny Nozell, has reportedly fired Seaver from his security job, and has now alleged that he made “relentless” threats against Nozell and others.
According to Billboard, the lawsuit filed in a Tennessee court reads: “These were not ordinary workplace disputes or heated words; they were deliberate threats from a self-proclaimed heavily armed, former security operative with a military-contractor background. Many of [Parton’s staff members] are now afraid to come to work or have resigned entirely because they do not feel safe.”
Wednesday’s restraining order says the Tennessee judge took into account the repeated threats cited in the complaint, as well as the alleged demands for payment and Seaver’s “claimed access to weapons, experience with violence, and intention to retaliate”.
As part of the order, Seaver and his company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services, must refrain from talking with or being within 1,000ft (300 meters) of employees, attorneys and business partners of She’s Alive, the entity founded to manage Parton’s estate. The order is also meant to keep Seaver from interfering with its business relationships.
A hearing is scheduled for 7 October.
Seaver is alleged to have written to a lawyer for Parton, “I’m a killer”, and separately told Nozell: “I’m literally an international arms dealer and mercenary. All I do is warfare. Everyone needs to be worried about what I might do.” He is also alleged to have claimed that he made a $27m arms and ammunition deal with Haiti.
He allegedly claimed he would “set up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships and telling the violations these people have done on us. It’s going to be great. Or fucking pay me.”
Seaver repeated some of those claims in comments to TMZ while defending his actions, saying: “I am a career soldier and military contractor and do conduct arms deals for foreign governments. I am a security professional and I am a killer. However, nothing in this lawsuit were threats and most of the comments I stand by.”
Regarding the messages to Nozell, Seaver said: “I was talking frankly in a private way with Danny who I thought was my friend and he fancies himself a gangster. A lot of these messages are two guys having rage talk and crying on the phone together while we were grieving.”
In another message, Seaver reportedly said: “I’m going to spend the next times I have on earth ratfucking anyone that has ever betrayed my family.”
Speaking to TMZ, Seaver said of that comment: “I was talking about people that have done bad to Dolly in business – a specific company that scared her and intimated her. Those comments were about specific, horrible business partners that have done wrong to her and I stand by that.”
Seaver’s security contract was terminated on 15 September, with a leaked termination letter saying the decision was made “for the protection of the trust and beneficiaries as a whole”, though it reassured Seaver it was “not a termination of your personal interest in the trust”.
Seaver put out a statement after the termination, saying: “We remain unshakably resolved to fulfil her final directive to protect her family, and we refuse to be intimidated by those whose actions we believe are being taken in bad faith and with the intent to profit from the life of someone who willingly gave so much.”
The Guardian has contacted Seaver and lawyers for Parton’s estate for further comment.
Parton left behind considerable financial assets: not only her songbook featuring hits such as 9 to 5, but also a broad business empire including the entertainment resort Dollywood in Tennessee.
She had no children, and her husband, Carl, died in 2025, but she is survived by other family members including six siblings and an uncle. Seaver is the son of her sister Cassie.
Associated Press contributed reporting
