A man police say tried to shoot his former girlfriend in an Old Town pharmacy parking lot and then himself before going to her friend's house and trying to shoot her nearly three years ago is scheduled to stand trial Monday.

Mikyas Asefa, 24, was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault, armed burglary and battery on May 12, 2009. He faces a possible maximum of life in prison if convicted.

Key West police alleged that Asefa tried to shoot his former girlfriend, Galina Arsemi, at the CVS on Truman Avenue and then himself before going to the Packer Street home of Elena Fyodorova and trying to shoot her.

Asefa again turned the gun on himself, but it malfunctioned three times in all, saving three lives that day, Key West Police Chief Donie Lee said at the time.

Asefa had been distraught about his breakup with Arsemi two weeks before the incident, and blamed her friends, she told The Citizen at the time.

Chief Assistant State Attorney Manny Madruga and Public Defenders Trish Docherty and John Rotolo declined to comment prior to trial.

Jury selection will begin Monday, but due to court scheduling conflicts, the trial will start Thursday and continue on April 23, attorneys said. County Judge Wayne Miller will preside.

Asefa remained at the Monroe County Detention Center on Stock Island Friday. His bond in May 2009 was set at $1.3 million, plus $500,000 for a July 2008 cocaine possession charge that was pending against him at the time of his arrest.

alinhardt@keysnews.com