Dolly Parton’s estate has filed for a restraining order against her nephew Bryan Seaver. He is accused of making violent threats and vowing to damage Parton’s legacy after being fired from his longtime role as her head of security.
Following the death of Dolly Parton on August 25, her estate has taken legal action against her nephew, Bryan Seaver. He had served as her head of security for more than 20 years and was the one who publicly announced her passing.
According to the estate’s filing, Seaver was terinated from his role earlier this month.
She’s Alive, LLC, which manages Parton’s estate, claims he became “emboldened” after her death and has since made a series of threatening statements toward the estate and her employees.
Allegations of threats before and after Parton’s death
According to the filing, Seaver’s conduct reportedly began before Parton even passed away. People reported that he threatened, in writing, to “destroy the entire brand,” and told Parton’s entertainment attorney, “I’m not an entertainment person. I’m a killer.”
Additional alleged texts include lines like, “All I do is warfare… Everyone needs to be worried about what I might do,” and, “I only own swords and guns,” reportedly followed by a vow of vengeance against “anyone that has ever betrayed my family.”
The filing also claims Seaver threatened to launch a podcast aimed at damaging Parton’s brand partnerships unless he was paid, and that he made threats of real-world violence toward staff, advisors, and business partners connected to her estate.
According to the filing, “Without relief, Defendants’ calculated campaign will continue to inflict fear, to destabilize SAL’s operations, and to cause further irreparable harm.”
A temporary restraining order was granted on September 22.
Seaver’s response to the restraining orders
Seaver himself pushed back on the characterization of his messages.
“Nothing in this lawsuit were threats and most of the comments I stand by,” he 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.”
When his firing was first reported, Seaver and his team said they were “dismayed by the unexpected and, so far, unexplained actions” taken since Parton’s death.
“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,” they said, adding that Seaver remains “unshakably resolved to fulfill her final directive to protect her family.”
Seaver’s termination letter, obtained by TMZ, clarified that while his employment ended, his standing in Parton’s trust hasn’t changed.
“Please note that this termination is not a termination of your personal interest in the Trust,” the letter read. “The Co-Trustees will be in contact with you (and the other beneficiaries) in the near future regarding your interest as a beneficiary of the Trust.”
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