A months-long search for a missing Kentucky grandmother ended in tragedy when authorities discovered her remains at what appeared to be a homeless camp near Covington.
Carol Groves, 65, was found dead on Saturday evening, March 28, in a wooded area in the 800 block of Crescent Avenue, east of Devou Park, according to the Covington Police Department. Officers responded around 7 p.m. to reports of a body and discovered badly decomposed remains, later identified as the woman who had been missing since late December.
Groves was found deceased in a tire at what appeared to be a homeless camp, according to her son, Tyler Carroll. The grim location was not far from the 12th Street bridge, where Carroll said his mother would often stay. Law enforcement told the family she had been dead for some time before being discovered.
The discovery brings devastating closure to a family who spent the winter months hoping for their loved one’s safe return. Groves was first reported missing on December 20, 2025, after she stopped reaching out to her children—a break from her usual pattern.
When police initially listed Groves as missing, they described her as 5’4″ tall and weighing approximately 120 pounds. She was last seen wearing pajama pants and pink Crocs, wrapped in a blanket, in the area of John Street in Covington.
Carroll told Fox affiliate WXIX-TV that his mother was homeless by choice and struggled with addiction. While she would regularly wander off for days at a time, she always maintained contact with her children—until December.
“She struggled with addiction and it wasn’t nothing for her to go do this for a couple of days or a week at a time, but she always reached out to one of the children,” Carroll said.
As days turned to weeks without word from Groves, the family’s concern deepened. They reported her missing just before Christmas, launching a search that would span the coldest months of winter in Northern Kentucky. The 65-year-old grandmother endured frigid temperatures while living on the streets, making the search increasingly urgent as time passed.
Despite the grim outcome, Carroll expressed relief at finally knowing his mother’s fate after months of agonizing uncertainty. He told WXIX he knew after five months that the news would not be good, but having answers allows the family to begin grieving.
The death does not appear suspicious, according to preliminary autopsy findings released on Monday by the Covington Police Department. Captain Justin Bradbury confirmed that while the investigation remains ongoing, foul play is not currently suspected. The official cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner and released upon completion of the final report.
Family members remember Groves as a woman who lived life on her own terms despite facing significant personal challenges. Her ex-husband Brad Carroll told NBC affiliate WLWT-TV that she should be remembered as generous, warm and full of life. He recalled her as a talented dancer who could command attention on any dance floor.
Loved ones held a moment of tribute for Groves after the discovery, honoring the memory of a grandmother whose struggles with addiction did not diminish the love her family felt for her. The family has set up a GoFundMe to assist with funeral expenses as they prepare to lay her to rest.
The Covington Police Department’s Evidence Collection Unit continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Groves’ death. Detectives are urging anyone with information regarding Groves’ movements between late December and late March to contact police at 859-292-2234 or Cincinnati/NKY Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
The case underscores the dangers faced by vulnerable populations battling addiction and housing instability, particularly during harsh winter months. While Groves chose to live without permanent housing, her family emphasized that she was deeply loved and maintained close relationships with her children throughout most of her life.
For Tyler Carroll and the rest of Groves’ surviving family members, the confirmation of her death—while devastating—provides an end to the agonizing uncertainty that defined the past several months. They can now focus on honoring her memory and saying goodbye.
