Elwood E. Groff
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Elwood E. Groff

Bexar County Sheriff's Office — San Antonio, TX
End of Watch October 15, 1979
Age 56
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Badge 484
The Vigil Panel 122 ›
Gender Male

Incident

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.

Survivors

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.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-0FB2932B
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Sheriff Groff gave the Bexar County Sheriff's Office 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Antonio community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location San Antonio, Bexar County, TX
Platform Identity bcso.bexar.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 15, 1979
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 56
Badge Number 484
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Elwood E. Groff served in the U.S. Army (1954–1957) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff Elwood E. Groff is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,460 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Bexar County Sheriff's Office, 10 of 18 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.6% of this agency's fallen.

Bexar County Sheriff's Office
10
of 18 officers
55.6% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,460
of 2,421 officers
60.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Elwood E. Groff's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Elwood E. Groff Compares

Age at Death
56
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
11
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Elwood E. Groff is highlighted in Oct.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Elwood E. Groff was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Military Service

Elwood E. Groff served in the U.S. Army (1954–1957) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Elwood E. Groff’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.