Vincent Darrell Groves was born on April 19, 1954, to a family with a postman father and a teacher mother. He was the eldest of three sons. The family lived in Wheat Ridge, a suburb of Denver, Colorado. This area was known for being home to many upper-middle-class families. Vincent's parents were solid citizens who provided well for their children.

Vincent attended Wheat Ridge High School, where he graduated in 1972. He was the only black student in his class. During his time in high school, he played on the basketball team and was recognized as a star player. His team reached the finals of the state interscholastic basketball championship, which made him popular among his classmates. One of his fellow students was Dave Logan, who would later become a well-known professional football player and coach.

After high school, Vincent went on to Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he played on the basketball team. However, he quickly lost interest in school and sports. In 1974, after facing chronic absences, he dropped out of college and returned to Denver. He moved in with his grandmother and took a job as an electrician at the Gates Rubber Company.

In late 1977, Vincent Groves met 17-year-old Jeanette Baca. He persuaded her to engage in prostitution and became her pimp. On June 11, 1978, police found Baca's naked body in a wooded area in Jefferson County. Authorities interrogated Groves during the investigation, but they did not have enough evidence to charge him.

A few months later, he met 21-year-old Norma Jean Halford. She became his cohabitant, but on August 24, 1979, her empty car was discovered on a mountain road outside Georgetown. Neither Halford nor her body has been found.

At the end of 1979, Groves developed a drug addiction. In March 1981, he married Janett Hill. His addiction led to erratic behavior, and he lost his job. On August 14, 1981, he killed 17-year-old Tammy Sue Woodrum while camping. After the murder, Groves turned himself in to the police and gave a full confession, claiming Woodrum died from an overdose. However, an autopsy found she had been raped and strangled, with no drugs in her system. In 1982, he was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 12 years.

Vincent was paroled on February 13, 1987, and returned to Denver. He found a job as a janitor and bought a car. He often visited Colfax Avenue, where he met 20-year-old prostitute Sheila Washington in March 1987. After paying for her services, Groves drove her to a motel. Once there, he beat and attempted to strangle her. Washington survived and later identified him, but Groves avoided detection at that time.

By August 1988, Groves was a suspect in the murders of over 20 girls in Denver. Police had witnesses who placed him with the victims before their disappearances. Groves was arrested on September 1, 1988, but denied involvement in the murders. A blood sample was taken, and despite a search of his belongings, no evidence linked him to the murders. He was charged only with the assault on Washington.

In early 1989, he was acquitted of the assault based on his claims of self-defense. Despite this, DNA testing linked him to the murders of Juanita Lovato and Diane Mancera, who were both found dead near Denver in 1988.

Vincent Groves went to trial for Lovato's murder in 1990 and received a life sentence. He was extradited shortly after to face charges for Mancera's murder, for which he received an additional 20 years. The prosecution presented evidence tying him to eight other murders in the area, but no new charges were filed.

In the early 1990s, Groves faced health issues. He was diagnosed with Hepatitis C and liver failure. He died in a prison hospital near Denver on October 31, 1996. Just before his passing, he was asked to confess to more murders, but he refused.

In 2012, DNA analysis established Groves' guilt in the murders of several women. These included Emma Jenefor, Joyce Ramey, Peggy Cuff, and Pamela Montgomery, all linked to him after his death.