Cause of Death: Gunfire
End of Watch: October 15, 1979
Date of Incident: October 15, 1979
Age: 57
Tour of Duty: 11 yr
Suspect Info: Committed suicide
Weapon Used: Handgun

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. Shortly before at 10 PM he arrived at the apartment and was shot in the chest by Alvin Henderson, 32. Henderson then turned the gun on his girlfriends Grandmother, Henrietta Bedford, 65, shot her in the face, killing her, and shooting his girlfriend, Joyce Williams, 25, in the shoulder.  Henderson then fled to his mothers home, located at 722 went to 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.

Deputy Groff was a veteran of the Korean War and the Vietnam War and a Bronze Start and Purple Heart recipient. He had been with the agency for 11 years and was survived by his two daughters, five sons, and parents.