Kernersville Man Demolishes Home He Built for In-Laws After Divorce Shocker: “She Left Me for Another Man
KERNERSVILLE, NC — A quiet Kernersville neighborhood was thrown into shock and disbelief this week after a local man took a backhoe to a house he personally built for his in-laws—just days after his wife of 10 years left him for another man.
According to eyewitnesses and local authorities, 42-year-old Michael Turner was seen operating heavy machinery on the property early Monday morning. Within hours, most of the single-story home was reduced to rubble. Police responded to the scene but confirmed that Turner owned the land and had all legal permits to perform the demolition.
The home, which Turner constructed shortly after marrying his wife in 2015, had served as a residence for her parents for nearly a decade. Friends and neighbors say Turner poured his heart, savings, and weekends into building the house from the ground up.
“He was out there every weekend with a hammer or a shovel,” said neighbor Jeff Collins. “It was a labor of love. That’s why it’s so shocking to see him tearing it down like this.”
Turner and his now-ex-wife finalized their divorce earlier this month. Court records reveal that she had entered a new relationship before the divorce was filed. Friends say Turner was “devastated” by the split, especially after learning that her new partner had moved into her apartment just weeks later.
In a brief statement to local media, Turner explained his actions. “I built that house as a gift—for a family I thought would be mine forever. When she walked away from our marriage for someone else, it felt like everything I gave meant nothing. So I took it back.”
Legal experts say Turner was within his rights. While the in-laws lived in the home, they never held any ownership stake. Turner retained both the deed to the land and the house itself, giving him full authority to demolish it.
Still, reactions have been mixed. Some locals sympathize with Turner, calling it a dramatic but understandable act of heartbreak. Others question whether it was the right way to respond.
As the debris settles on Maple Grove Road, one thing is clear—this Kernersville divorce story won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
