According to a new report, Dolly Parton‘s niece, Rebecca Seaver, has been fired from her job overseeing Parton’s museum and archives as a battle continues between Parton’s estate and members of her family.
TMZ reports that “sources with direct knowledge” told the celebrity news outlet Seaver was fired on Thursday (Oct. 29), along with her entire staff.
Who Is Rebecca Seaver, Dolly Parton’s Niece?
Seaver had been working as the executive director of Parton’s Life of Many Colors Museum, which opened on Sept. 29 inside Parton’s SongTeller Hotel in downtown Nashville.
Neither Parton’s estate nor Rebecca Seaver have publicly confirmed or denied TMZ’s report.
Seaver’s brother, Bryan Seaver, was also fired from his position as Parton’s head of security in September, and that situation has turned ugly, with Parton’s longtime manager, Danny Nozell, filing a restraining order and a lawsuit against Seaver.
Did Dolly Parton’s Estate File a Restraining Order Against Her Nephew?
Yes.
Parton’s longtime manager, Danny Nozell, requested the restraining order in September in response to alleged threats Seaver made against him and others, as well as other troubling behavior.
- Bryan Seaver is the son of Dolly Parton’s sister, Cassie Parton, and he served as Parton’s head of security until her death.
- Nozell has also filed a lawsuit accusing Seaver of personal and professional threats.
- Seaver was fired as head of security in September, just weeks after the beloved entertainer’s death on Aug. 25.
- Nozell’s filing included several threatening messages he claims Seaver sent to him and others.
What Is the Lawsuit Over Dolly Parton’s Estate?
Nozell currently runs She’s Alive LLC, a company created to oversee Parton’s professional trust.
Seaver operates Squadron Augmented Protection Services, LLC.
He was the family member who announced Parton’s death via a social media video.
The legal filing alleges extortion, coercion and threats that have led to employees quitting their jobs, refusing to come into the office or requiring personal security.
The filing sought a restraining order, and a judge granted it based on the alleged 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,” the Associated Press reports.
According to Nashville’s Tennessean newspaper, Seaver has been ordered to stay 1,000 feet from any employee of She’s Alive and cease any and all communication with anyone tied to the company.
What Did Dolly Parton’s Nephew Say in His Text Messages?
TMZ first reported the story, while Variety was first to publish disturbing text messages in which Seaver allegedly referred to himself as an arms dealer.
READ MORE: Dolly Parton’s 11 Siblings: Everything We Know
“I’m not an entertainment person. I’m a killer,” reads one message described in court documents.
“I sold 27 million $ worth of ammunition and arms to the Haitian Police on day Dolly died. Entertainment is not my game. I have spent my career breaking things and spying on African and Arab leaders. And protecting Dolly.”
Seaver also appeared to boast that he was a threat in additional messages, and one promised a podcast “dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships” if he wasn’t paid.
“Her money better be bigger than I can make elsewhere or I’m going to f–k everyone,” he wrote, according to the legal filing.
Seaver told TMZ that nothing in the lawsuit was meant as a threat, claiming he was only having “rage talk” and crying on the phone with Nozell.
“I was talking frankly in a private way with Danny, who I thought was my friend, and he fancies himself a gangster,” he said.
Has Dolly Parton’s Nephew Responded to the Lawsuit From Her Estate ?
The AP reported that Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, represented himself in court on Oct. 3, asking the judge to delay a hearing that was set for Oct. 9 by approximately 10 days so he could have more time to find a lawyer and prepare a defense for the hearing.
The judge in the case subsequently postponed the hearing until later in October. Seaver’s legal team says his side of the story “is coming.”
According to USA Today, a statement from Seaver’s legal team reads:
“Mr. Seaver has always been a private person, but he was chosen by his aunt, with his family’s approval, to make the announcement about Dolly’s passing,”
“He would have preferred to remain a private person as this ordeal has taken a toll on his family.”
The statement adds:
While the family was grieving, the business manager went to Court and the media with a surprising and incomplete story. Seeing text messages that are misleading and taken out of context has been very hurtful to our client and his family.
According to ABC News, Parton’s estate is now asking for the temporary restraining order against Seaver to be converted into a temporary injunction.
The next hearing regarding the case is scheduled for Oct. 9.
Country Stars Whose Family Feuds Turned Into Lawsuits
Family first is one of the core values in country music, but that doesn’t mean that country stars’ family relationships are all sweetness and light. Several country stars have been involved in family feuds that turned so nasty that they ended up in lawsuits.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
See Pictures of Dolly Parton, Through the Years
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
