A monthslong search for a missing Kentucky grandmother ended tragically after authorities found her body near a homeless encampment in Covington.
Carol Groves, 65, was discovered deceased on March 28 in a forested section in the 800 block of Crescent Avenue, to the east of Devou Park, according to the Covington Police Department. Law enforcement arrived around 7 p.m. following reports of a deceased individual and found severely decomposed human remains, subsequently identified as the woman who had been missing since the end of December.
Groves was located inside a tire at what seemed to be a homeless encampment, her son, Tyler Carroll, reported. The somber site was close to the 12th Street bridge, where Carroll indicated his mother frequently stayed. Authorities informed the family she had been deceased for a considerable period before the discovery.
The finding brings a heartbreaking end to relatives who had spent the winter hoping for the safe homecoming of their family member. Groves was initially reported as missing on December 20, 2025, following her failure to contact her children—an interruption from her normal routine.
During the initial missing person report, police characterized Groves as standing 5 feet, 4 inches tall with a weight of around 120 pounds. Her last known sighting showed her dressed in pajama pants and pink Crocs, covered in a blanket, in the vicinity of John Street in Covington.
Carroll informed Fox affiliate WXIX-TV that his mother had chosen homelessness and battled substance abuse issues. Though she would routinely disappear for multiple days, she consistently stayed in touch with her children—until December.
As the passage of time continued without any communication from Groves, the family’s worry intensified. They filed a missing person report shortly before Christmas, initiating a search that extended through the harshest winter months in Northern Kentucky. The 65-year-old grandmother faced freezing conditions while residing on the streets, rendering the search progressively critical as weeks went by.
Despite the outcome, Carroll conveyed a sense of relief in finally learning his mother’s circumstances following months of painful uncertainty. He shared with WXIX that he understood after five months that the outcome would be unfavorable, but receiving answers enables the family to start the mourning process.
The death does not appear to be suspicious, based on initial autopsy results made public on March 30 by the Covington Police Department. Captain Justin Bradbury stated that although the inquiry continues, criminal activity is not presently suspected. The formal cause of death will be established by the medical examiner and disclosed following completion of the conclusive report.
Relatives recall Groves as an individual who lived according to her own choices despite confronting substantial personal obstacles. Her ex-husband, Brad Carroll, shared with NBC affiliate WLWT-TV that she should be remembered as generous, warm, and full of life. He described her as a skilled dancer who could captivate any dance floor.
Family and friends conducted a moment of remembrance for Groves following the discovery, celebrating the life of a grandmother whose battles with substance abuse did not reduce the affection her relatives held for her. The family established a GoFundMe to help cover funeral costs as they made arrangements for her burial.
The Covington Police Department’s Evidence Collection Unit remains engaged in investigating the details surrounding Groves’ death. Investigators are requesting anyone possessing information about Groves’ whereabouts between late December and late March to reach out to police at 859-292-2234 or Cincinnati/NKY Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.
The incident highlights the perils encountered by at-risk individuals fighting addiction and homelessness, especially throughout severe winter conditions. Though Groves opted to live without a stable shelter, her family stressed that she was profoundly cherished and sustained strong bonds with her children during most of her existence.
For Tyler Carroll and the remaining members of Groves’ family, the verification of her passing, though heartbreaking, offers closure to the excruciating uncertainty that characterized the previous months. They can now concentrate on celebrating her memory and bidding farewell.