MARIETTA - Jury selection is set to begin Monday in the murder trial of Mathew Wilkins, who is accused of killing 16-year-old Marlisa Wells, his former girlfriend, in her Austell home nearly two years ago.

A grand jury indicted Wilkins in April 2008 on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery. He has remained in the Cobb County jail without bond since his arrest.

The trial is expected to last about a week. If convicted of murder, Wilkins would face life in prison. Aggravated assault and aggravated battery each carry potential sentences of up to 20 years.

Jesse Evans, chief deputy assistant district attorney, is leading the prosecution. Wilkins, who is now 21, has retained Marietta lawyers Jimmy Berry and Victor Reynolds for his defense.

Investigators believe Wells was killed about 9:40 a.m. on Jan. 19, 2008, in the home she shared with her grandparents in Austell. She died of blunt force injury to her head and knife wounds to her head and neck, according to the indictment. The aggravated battery charge stems from additional disfiguring injuries to Wells' chest, back, hands and face. Wells was found with a fork sticking out of her back.

Marvin and Charlotte Wells were not home at the time their granddaughter was killed.

Wells' cousin told police she had spoken to Wells the night before her death and that Wells said Wilkins was planning to come to the home the next morning to discuss Wells possibly being pregnant.

Cell phone records show that Wilkins, who was 19 at the time, had been in contact with Wells the night before her killing as well as around the time of her death.

Police also removed 19 bags of evidence from his home in Douglasville, including a pair of white tennis shoes that appeared to have blood on the shoe strings. Wilkins was taken to Cobb General Hospital, where a search warrant showed scratches on the left side of his neck and right arm bicep.

Three of Wilkins' relatives are expected to testify that they were with him at different times on Jan. 19, though none were with him at the time of the murder.

After Wells' death, her best friend and classmate at South Cobb High School, Kimaya Baker, said Wilkins and Wells had been dating on and off for three years, but their relationship had ended.