Juan Edward Covington was born on March 3, 1962, in the Logan section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up alongside his identical twin brother. Their early childhood was reportedly normal and typical. However, things changed in 1990 when Covington's father passed away. This loss affected him deeply. After his father's death, he often struggled with depression and began taking medication to cope with his feelings.

As the years went by, Covington declared that he was "cured" and stopped taking his medication. Despite his claims, his behavior began to change in unusual ways. He started wearing military fatigues and would walk around his neighborhood, as if he was patrolling for unseen threats. He also began to neglect his personal hygiene, refusing to take baths. Family members noted that during one Christmas, he stared at the decorated tree, convinced it was moving.

Despite these strange behaviors, Covington was viewed by many as a normal person. He held a steady job as a bus driver for SEPTA for about 18 years. Later, he switched careers and began working in medical waste disposal for local hospitals. 

Covington's first known murder took place on August 19, 1998. He fatally shot Rev. Thomas Lee Devlin, a 49-year-old Baptist Pastor, 13 times in his church. The motive for this killing was reportedly linked to Covington's belief that Devlin was using witchcraft against him. After this incident, he did not commit any known crimes for four years.

On May 20, 2003, while walking in Logan, Covington encountered David Stewart, a 41-year-old man. For reasons that were unclear, Covington shot him nine times, leaving Stewart paralyzed from the waist down. Another attack occurred on April 26, 2004, when Covington shot 32-year-old William Bryant Jr. nine times. Bryant survived but was left disabled and with trouble speaking.

The killings then resumed on March 7, 2005, when Covington shot and killed 36-year-old Odies Bosket, who was going to pick up his daughter. Another man, Morris Wells, was wrongfully arrested for this murder.

On May 17, 2005, Patricia "Trish" McDermott, a 48-year-old radiographer, was found shot to death on Market Street. Investigators discovered CCTV footage showing a man stalking her before the shooting. Despite their efforts, they struggled to identify the shooter until tips from the public led them to Covington.

After his arrest, Covington admitted to killing McDermott and also confessed to the earlier murders of Devlin and Bosket, along with the shootings of Stewart and Bryant. Ballistic evidence confirmed that the guns used in the murders belonged to Covington.

Following his capture, Covington faced trial where he initially claimed to be the "chosen one" and believed he was exterminating evil. He eventually pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder. He received three life sentences without the possibility of parole and was ordered to undergo psychiatric counseling.

Covington is also considered a suspect in the disappearance of 24-year-old Brenwanda Smith in 1997 and the murder of 25-year-old Ann Yuille in 2004. Smith went missing after an argument with Covington, and Yuille was found shot in North Philadelphia.