Gabriel Brawn, a Maine man who gained international attention for sawing his neighbor's garage in half during a property dispute, has lost his childhood home to his ex-wife following their divorce. Brawn, 49, moved out of the Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, residence in 2023 after divorcing Tracy Brawn.
Brawn's actions in 2020 stemmed from a contentious boundary dispute with his neighbor, Blake Ritter. Brawn had returned to the home he grew up in in 2012 with his then-wife. The dispute escalated after Ritter, who inherited the property from his mother, claimed a different property line than Brawn believed was accurate. According to Brawn, Ritter placed a stake in the ground in 2020, asserting it as his property, which led to a heated argument.
In response to the escalating dispute, Brawn used a Sawzall to cut Ritter's garage in half along the disputed property line. He stated at the time that he acted with precision, ensuring a straight cut. Brawn later told the Bangor Daily News that he does not regret his actions and would repeat them if faced with a similar situation.
Ritter subsequently sued Brawn and his wife in August 2021, seeking approximately $450,000 in punitive damages and an additional $35,000 for debris removal and replacement of the garage. The lawsuit was dismissed in January 2022 after both parties agreed to mediation. Court records regarding the specific terms of the mediation agreement are unclear. Brawn has maintained that he paid nothing as a result of the incident and faced no legal repercussions.
The property lines were later determined by a boundary agreement, which reportedly followed an existing wall a few feet north of the severed garage, placing the line inside Brawn's initial understanding of the boundary. Ritter eventually moved out of his home following the dispute. A friend of Ritter's has since moved into the property and plans to take ownership, expressing interest in rebuilding the garage.
Brawn has reportedly moved on with a new girlfriend, Samantha, and is now residing in Sangerville, Maine. His ex-wife, Tracy, reportedly remains in the former family home, located next to the garage that has remained unrepaired for over six years.