Documentary filmmaker John Upton was shot and killed Thursday after getting into an argument with his neighbor Michael Vilkin.

Reports suggest that Vilkin and the filmmaker he killed argued constantly over property lines, trees and backyard shrubbery. Apparently the two men were arguing again when 61-year-old Vilkin took out a gun and shot the filmmaker John Upton in the head.

56-year-old filmmaker John Upton was found lying dead on a dirt path outside his Encinitas, California home. Upton's brother Michael spoke with U-T San Diego. The surviving Upton said his filmmaker brother and his neighbor often argued over trimming shrubs and tress encroaching onto Upton's property from a vacant lot owned by Vilkin.

After Vilkin was arrested he spoke with KGTV San Diego from the country jail. Vilkin admitted he and Upton often argued. Vilkin also said he killed Upton in self-defense because the filmmaker had pulled a gun on him first.

"I did not go to him. He came to me threatening and pulled a gun on me."

The San Diego police are still investigating the shooting. Vilkin is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday. Michael Upton also told U-T San Diego that his brother was killed only an hour after their mother died of cancer.

Facebook was full of angry comments about the killing of filmmaker John Upton.

Derek Anthony commented, "What a complete idiot this neighbor is, going to jail over some trees. Stupidity on a supreme level."

"I thought California had strict gun laws, aren't those supposed to prevent shooting deaths," writes Curtis Andrew Hedrick.

Facebook user ELD posted, "Why do people run for the gun so quickly instead of talking it out? People, think before you shoot, and all over shrubbery?"

Filmmaker John Upton became famous after he released a documentary about the treatment of Romanian orphans. In 1990 ABC's 20/20 did a report about the tragic and inhumane circumstances Romanian orphans were living under.

After seeing the 20/20 report John Upton took it upon himself to travel to Romania and make a documentary to educate the American public and save as many of the children as he could. 

The Inquisitr reports John Upton as saying, "I went in there with the attitude of the angry American, someone who was going to right the wrongs he found. I expected heartless officials and corruption. But that's not what I found at all. I found people who wanted to act but were handicapped by a lack of resources."

John Upton was able to rescue 20 orphans. The children were brought to the United States and found good homes.