Wife of 'neighbor from hell' breaks silence

Wife: 'Mitchell (Igelko) has problems, but he's not a monster'

KENDALL, Fla. – The Bible tells us to "love thy neighbor." In fact, there are 36 verses about loving thy neighbor, but sometimes that is a lot easier said than done.

Mitchell Igelko has earned the unofficial nickname "neighbor from hell" -- videos and testimonials from some of his neighbors are part of a highlight reel that's earned him the unflattering nickname.

For the first time since her husband and their neighbors waged war on one another, Adriana Igelko is breaking her silence.

"He's not a monster. Mitchell is not a monster. Mitchell has problems, but he's not a monster," said Adriana Igelko. "I recognize my husband has responsibility for any actions, but the world doesn't know the other part of the story."

What people don't see on the videos, according to Adriana Igelko, is that Mitchell Igelko is a good person, a family man, a loving husband and father, a very successful businessman and an animal lover.

"Mitch is a normal person. He has issues, I know, but he's no crazy," said Adriana Igelko.

But what set him off? Neighbors have said it was because they fired Mitchell Igelko and successful lawn maintenance company. Adriana Igelko insists that had nothing to do with it.

"This situation started with the dog," said Adriana Igelko.

Mitchell Igelko's pet, Chief (pictured, right), is a dalmatian-lab mix. Adriana Igelko said one day Chief came home badly beaten; he had clawed his way out of his cage and used a neighbors' lawn as his toilet.

"Chief (was) cut everywhere. The legs, the neck, everywhere, and bleeding and bleeding and bleeding," said Adriana Igelko. "It was little, by little, by little, by little, by little."

That situation, Adriana Igelko recalled, infuriated her husband. She said Mitchell Igelko was angry, fit to be tied, ready to explode at any moment. Frightened, some of the neighbors set up a sophisticated surveillance system.

Local 10's John Turchin pushed Adriana Igelko for an explanation.

"Without medication, it's no Mitchell," she said.

Mitchell Igelko wasn't taking his medication to treat organic brain damage. Court documents obtained by Local 10 show Mitchell Igelko suffers from, among other things, severe bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.

When Turchin pressed Adriana Igelko about what would happen if her husband didn't take his medication, she told him, "His behavior change a lot."