50-year dispute between neighbors in Australia ends in death

A dispute between neighbors stretching back nearly half a century has ended with the death of one of the elderly men involved.

Michael di Berardino, 83, was found dead on the footpath outside his home in Reservoir, 12 kilometers north of Melbourne's CBD, by his wife late on Monday.

Di Berardino's wife, Gemma, said she believed that the couples' neighbor, who had been involved in countless disputes with her husband over 47 years, was responsible for the suspicious death.

She said that the latest dispute arose after di Berardino accused the 90-year old neighbour of poisoning his plants and roses, along with others in the street.

Police were reportedly working on the theory that the man's death had been a result of being struck on the head by a stick or piece of steel and took the 90-year-old man into custody to assist with the negotiation before releasing him without charge.

"I've lost my husband, I've lost my life," Gemma said. "We were never separate, we did everything together."

She said the man had called her and her husband abusive names dozens of times and they had called the police almost 100 times about the incidents over the years.

"I would tell the police, please do something," Gemma told News Limited on Tuesday.

Frank Parisi, another neighbour, said the pair had been to court "so many times" to resolve their dispute.

"It's been really serious," Parisi said.

In a statement, Victoria Police said they were awaiting the results of an autopsy before the investigation could be continued. Endit