Deputy Elwood E. Groff

Deputy Sheriff Elwood E. Groff
Bexar County Sheriff's Department, TX
Born: November 4, 1922
Cause of Death: Gunfire
End of Watch: Monday, October 15, 1979
Date of Incident: Monday, October 15, 1979
Age: 57
Tour of Duty: 11 yr
Badge: 484
Suspect Info: Committed suicide
Weapon Used: Handgun
Buried: Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery
Location of Name on National and Texas Monuments
NLEOMF: P34 - W17
TPOM: 30, B, 10

Deputy Elwood Groff died as a result of a gunshot on October 1, 1979. Deputy Groff, 57, was working, off duty security as an apartment security officer in the 8000 Blk of Midcrown. Deputy Groff, who lived at the apartment complex, had gone to the apartment to check on a verbal disturbance. Deputy Groff met San Antonio officers who were called 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 Alvin Henderson, 32, returned to the scene shortly before 10 PM and shot Deputy Groff in the chest, killing him. Henderson then turned the gun on his girlfriends Grandmother and shot her in the face, killing her, and shooting his girlfriend in the shoulder. Henderson then fled to his mother's home, entered the backyard and shot himself. Henderson died at the scene. Deputy Groff, a patrolman, had been a deputy since 1968 and was assigned to patrol the northeast section of the county.

Groff, a patrolman had been a deputy since 1968 and was assigned to patrol the northeast section of the county. Groff was survived by Sons; Michael E. Groff and his wife, Lisa, Jackson Florida, son Patrick J. Groff and his wife, Jodi; son Steven C. Groff, and his wife, Mary; son John L.Groff, son Chris A. Groff, son Edward Groff, and daughter, Mrs. Clayton (Mary) Bordner, all of San Antonio, Texas. Brother, Ellisworth Stein, of Grand Junction, Colorado and Cecil of Florida. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Groff, sister, Dorothy Urmanski; and 6 grandchildren all from Wausau, Wisconsin. Deputy Groff was a veteran of the World War II, Korean War and the Vietnam War and a Bronze Start and Purple Heart recipient. Served as a SSGT in the U.S. Airforce. He had been with the agency for 11 years. ----source San Antonio Express News