Gregorio Zepelli

Gregorio Zeppeli is Gyro's father and an executioner of the nation of Naples. Gregorio instructed Gyro in the use of Steel Balls training him to become a skilled executioner.


Although the Zeppeli family usually stuck to delivering the death penalty to serious and dangerous criminals, there was one incident which resulted in the arrest and death sentence of an innocent little boy who made a living from cleaning shoes. Gyro was struck when he heard of this and even more when the boy offered to clean his own executioner's shoes.

Gregorio was strictly convinced that the Zeppeli family are in the hands of the state and aren't the ones who choose whether or not someone dies. Refusing this, Gyro pleaded with the king for an appeal. It was then agreed that Gyro would receive an amnesty to release the boy if he could complete the American cross-country race, the Steel Ball Run.
(Source: JoJo's Bizarre Encyclopedia)