Jury selection continued Tuesday for the trial of a Gainesville man charged with perpetuating an Internet hoax that had law enforcement officials looking for a serial killer.

Andrew Scott Haley, 26, is on trial in Hall County Superior Court on charges of tampering with evidence and making false statements.

Haley is accused of leaving cryptic video messages on the Internet video-sharing site YouTube using the nickname “catchmekiller.”

Authorities say with his face and voice digitally obscured, the “catchmekiller” claimed to have killed 16 people and took responsibility for the unsolved missing person cases of Jennifer Kesse of Orlando and Tara Grinstead of Ocilla.

Both women’s cases were featured on an episode of the CBS television show “48 Hours.”

The “catchmekiller” Internet postings drew the attention of an Orlando television station, prompting Florida authorities to get involved.

After the videos were traced to Georgia, law enforcement officials spent hundreds of man hours investigating the case, Georgia Bureau of Investigation officials said.

Haley’s house was raided in late February 2009 and he was indicted in July 2009. Authorities do not believe Haley killed anyone. He is represented by the Hall County Public Defender’s Office.

On Tuesday, Haley’s attorney and prosecutors questioned potential jurors about their beliefs on freedom of speech, their familiarity with the Internet and YouTube and whether they had been victims of a crimes.

Opening statements in the case could be heard today.