YOU BEAT ME TO IT FRED.I SAW IT IN THE MORNING PAPER HERE.(DAYTON DAILY NEWS)IT SAID HE DIED FROM NATURAL CAUSES.HE WAS ALWAYS A LARGER THAN LIFE LEGEND HERE IN DAYTON.WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG I GOT TO SEE HIM AT SOME LOCAL MATCH RACES.

Too many legendary racer losses this year...R.I.P
Kid

Billy Stepp was a mopar legend. R.I.P.

RIP

Friday, December 12, 2008

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William Elias 'Bill' Stepp HARRISON TWP., Montgomery County — New York had its "Teflon Don" and Dayton had its well-seasoned, fiery figure of similar infamy.

William Elias "Bill" Stepp was the most famous mobster, gangster and notorious hoodlum the Miami Valley has known.

He died Nov. 27 of natural causes at his Harrison Twp. home, according to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office. Stepp was 73.

"Bill's major call to fame is that he probably lived the most charmed life of any mobster in the history of the United States," said Wes Hills, a former Dayton Daily News staff writer who covered organized crime in the Miami Valley for about 20 years.

"He succeeded in avoiding prison for his entire adult life while being the most powerful gangster in the region," Hills said Thursday, Dec. 11. "Many in law enforcement believe the reason Bill evaded prosecution was because of his long-standing cooperation with the FBI and other law enforcement."

Stepp, the son of an Appalachian lay minister in Highland County, had several siblings, including younger brother Ernest Emoliver Stepp — a member of his gang.

"As a very young boy, his father used to take Bill down to the Cincinnati riverfront docks and bet on him in fights against older adults," Hills said. "Bill was a very, very physically strong man.... He was an outstanding street fighter."

Stepp was also smart.

"Bill ... had a very special knack to ingratiate himself," Hills said. "He was a very polite person and very gracious and well spoken. He knew how to size up people and how to get close to them."

His legend was so enormous that he didn't always have to do much to impress. Many believed he was in the Mafia, Hills said.

"Stepp wasn't La Cosa Nostra — he was Appalachian. He wasn't with a large national organization at all. He was just tough as an individual. He knew his way around — drove a black Mercedes-Benz. He looked the part."

Hills, who lives in Michigan, said, "Bill was a pretty remarkable guy. Just showing how long he survived, that he died of natural causes outside of prison, demonstrates how smart he was."

In his later days, Stepp joined his wife in her Catholic faith. No relatives could be reached for comment.

Baker-Hazel-Snider Funeral Home confirmed that Stepp was cremated.

Always one of my favorite Mopar racers and everyone of his cars were always among the nicest looking cars anywhere.

BILL ALWAYS KEPT THINGS INTERESTING.HE WAS ALWAYS A GENTLEMAN AND FRIEND TO ME.GREAT MEMORIES!R.I.P.DAVID SOX

I remember some interesting racing and situations involving him at Kil-Kare dragstrip...Colorful guy, always nice to me..

May as well make a picture thread out of this in his HONOR

1 more

RIP brother.

Always had some of the sharpest cars.. I am partial to his 68 Barracuda BUT I remember his pro stocker as having one of the first dry sump motors I have ever seen.

His crewchief at the time was Paul Frost( I think?)

Is Paul still around?

r.i.p. Billy "The Kid". Chris, my dad owned that demon in your post. its the same car thats in the grave yard. He bought it in the late 70's. I've heard many stories of the car and about Stepp. He was a bad dude!