Groat was last seen in Montpelier, Vermont on August 21, 1993. She spent time shopping and drinking beer with her boyfriend, then he dropped her off at a Park and Ride commuter lot at 10:00 p.m. so she could get her pickup truck. Groat has never been heard from again and her truck was found parked at the Park and Ride after her disappearance, with the keys locked inside. She left six daughters behind; four of them were under 18 and still lived at home.

Groat's boyfriend was at one time considered the prime suspect in her disappearance. He admitted having sexual relations with a child relative of Groat's, and was convicted of lewd and lascivious conduct in connection with this, but he denies any involvement in Groat's disappearance. He is no longer the focus of the investigation.

Several searches for Groat's remains have been conducted over the years, but no evidence has been located. She resided in Northfield, Vermont in 1993 and some agencies state she disappeared from there. Groat was declared legally dead sometime after her disappearance and has a gravestone in a cemetery in Middletown, Connecticut, where she grew up. Her daughters describe her as a dedicated mother who worked hard to provide for her family. Foul play is suspected in her case and she is presumed to be deceased.