Dolly Parton's estate war escalates: Icon's manager files for restraining order as nephew accused of threatening 'violence' before his firing from top security role

Dolly Parton's manager has filed legal documents seeking a temporary restraining order against her nephew and longtime security chief Bryan Seaver, claiming he made threatening overtures toward the manager.

The Daily Mail has reviewed a case summary that says Parton's manager, Danny Nozell, filed the suit under Parton's company She’s Alive, LLC, requesting a restraining order against Seaver.

Nozell said in legal documents reviewed by TMZ that Seaver had demanded money from him and began 'invoking his self-proclaimed military-contractor experience, access to weapons, and capacity for violence' while doing so.

Nozell told the court that as a result, he fired Seaver from his position on September 15, the outlet reported.

In legal docs, Nozell claimed that Seaver's behavior continued to escalate in the weeks ahead of Parton's August 25 death at 80, according to the outlet.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Bryan Seaver, Danny Nozell and Nozell's lawyer Timothy L. Warnock for further comment on the story. 

According to legal docs reviewed by TMZ, Seaver told Nozell, 'Her money better be bigger than I can make elsewhere or I'm going to f*** everyone. I am about to become the hand of retribution for my entire family.'

Another communication Seaver sent to Nozell, according to the filing, read, 'All I do is warfare … everyone needs to be worried about what I might do.'

Seaver allegedly told Nozell he was planning on setting 'up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly's brand partnership and telling the violations these people have done on us,' per the court filing, TMZ reported.

Nozell requested the court order Seaver to remain a minimum of 1,000 feet from Parton's office; and refrain from contacting Parton's businesses or affiliates, according to the report.

Seaver told TMZ on Tuesday in response to the restraining order request, '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.'

Bryan said that the texts included in the filing had been published out of context to make it look like he was trying to be intimidating, which wasn't the case.

'I was talking frankly in a private way with Danny who I thought was my friend and he fancies himself a gangster,' Bryan told the outlet. 'A lot of these messages are two guys having rage talk and crying on the phone together while we were grieving.'

Seaver said that one remark - in which he said he was going to 'rat f***' an organization whose name was redacted from the report - was 'about people that have done bad to Dolly in business.'

He added, 'Those comments were about specific, horrible business partners that have done wrong to her and I stand by that.'

Seaver last week received a notice reviewed by TMZ that he and his security organizations - which provided protection for Parton's Nashville home, museum and a warehouse - were being replaced by another company.

Insiders told the outlet that they believed Parton's manager Nozell and Pinnacle Bank were responsible for the decision to terminate him and his employees.

A new security team was deployed to the locations previously overseen by Seaver's companies on Wednesday after the termination notice was issued, according to the report.

Sources close to Seaver said he and his associates had been 'dismayed by the unexpected and, so far, unexplained actions' carried out in the wake of Parton's passing.

'We remain unshakably resolved to fulfill 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,' Seaver's camp told TMZ.

His camp told the outlet they believed the actions had been taken 'with the intent to profit from the life of someone who willingly gave so much.'

According to the outlet, the notice issued to Seaver indicated that the DP Dean Trust had been overseeing Parton's business and properties in the wake of her passing.

Seaver retains a personal interest in her trust moving forward, according to the report.

Seaver, whose mother Cassie is Parton's sister, had been appointed by the late Jolene singer to reveal her death in a public statement.

Following Dolly's August 25 passing following a battle with cancer, Seaver had been seen in a clip in which he revealed the sad news.

'Dolly has lived in the light, and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by [late husband] Carl, her parents, and countless others who have watched her and longed for her to meet them in the heavens,' Seaver said in the emotional clip.

In the clip, Seaver noted that his father Larry had held the security position before him.

He said that he had been her security head for the past 'two decades,' and had been working for her over the past four decades. 

'I first went on the road with Dolly as a kid, getting a taste of the road life in the early 1980s,' Seaver said. 'Dolly opened doors not just for me, but for her entire family to reach the potential we didn't even know was possible.

'Dolly also opened doors for generations of singers, songwriters, musicians and dreamers from every walk of life and across every continent. By her example, we believed that anything was possible.'

He added, 'She never saw a door she couldn’t open, and the doors she opened made and changed history. My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you.'

Parton has been well-remembered in the near month since her passing, which included an expansive tribute at the Primetime Emmy Awards last week which featured Reba McEntire and Sally Field.

Nashville International Airport will be renamed in Parton's memory following a vote from the Metro Nashville Airport Authority Board of Commissioners weeks back.