Jovo Kovačević was born in 1957 in Donji Lapac, Croatia. His family was active in the resistance movement during World War II. In September 1991 he was conscripted in the military of Republic of Serbian Krajina. In August 1995 he left Croatia and lived as a refugee in Serbia, together with his wife and two children. In 1997, after he received Croatian documents, he returned to Croatia. His house was restored in 2002.
In the aftermath of military operation Storm, his father-in-law stayed in Croatia in the village of Brezovac, where he was killed. The trial is currently ongoing on the Municipal Court of Gospić, office in Donji Lapac.