Bexar County Sheriff's Office, Texas
End of Watch: Monday, October 15, 1979
Age: 56
Tour of Duty: 11 years
Badge Number: 484
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 15, 1979
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Committed suicide
Deputy Groff was shot and killed while moonlighting at the apartment complex in which he lived on Midcrown Road.
He had responded to a report of a disturbance at a unit and met San Antonio officers on the scene. They found that the suspect had left the scene and Deputy Groff informed the San Antonio officers he would handle the incident. After the officers left, the suspect returned to the scene and shot Deputy Groff in the chest, killing him. The suspect then shot and killed his girlfriend's grandmother, wounded his girlfriend, and then committed suicide.
Deputy Groff was a veteran of WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. During his military service he was a recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He had served with the Bexar County Sheriff's Department for 11 years and was survived by his daughter, six sons, and by his parents.