Sacramento 'rampage' leaves 5 dead

Investigators warn that Soltys should be considered armed and dangerous.

SACRAMENTO, California (CNN) -- Authorities put out a nationwide alert Monday for a man suspected of killing five relatives, including two children, in a "rampage" outside Sacramento.

Investigators said 27-year-old Nikolay Soltys was wanted in connection with the deaths of his pregnant wife; his aunt and uncle; and two second cousins, a 9-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy, Sacramento County sheriff's Sgt. James Lewis said.

In addition, Soltys' 3-year-old son was missing after what Lewis characterized as a "rampage" and may be with his fugitive father.

Investigators have not determined a motive in the killings, which took place at two locations less than 10 miles apart. Witnesses put Soltys at both crime scenes, Lewis said.

Soltys' wife's aunt, Inna Yaskinsky, said the killings were inexplicable.

VIDEO Sacramento authorities say the suspect is a member of the victims' family of Ukrainian immigrants (August 20) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   EXTRA INFORMATION • Gallery: Sacramento killings rampage   • Anyone with information on Nikolay Soltys' whereabouts should call either (800) 222-7463 or (916) 443-4357   • Map: Where the killings occurred     RESOURCES Family violence     AUDIO Sacramento County sheriff's Sgt. James Lewis says language barriers have hindered the investigation 243k / 22seconds WAV sound Inna Yaskinsky comments on the community's reaction 243k / 7 seconds WAV sound

"We are shocked with this. Our community is shocked," Yaskinsky said. "I haven't heard anything in my whole life like that. In fact, these two families, actually three families, had close relationship ... When Nikolay before came to these families, he always brought some toys, even sometimes some money."

But Lewis said Soltys "was seen leaving the locations just prior to our arrival and shortly after what we believe to be the time of the crimes." If Soltys was not involved, Lewis added, "We would sure love for him to come forward and talk to us so we can iron things out."

About an hour after the killings, authorities said, Soltys picked his son up from his mother's house and told her they were headed home. They said he gave no indication anything was wrong and did not harm his mother. He has not been seen since.

Lewis said the killings appeared to have been carried out with a knife or blunt instrument. He said the fact that family members were the targets suggested the general public was not in danger, but he warned anyone who spotted Soltys to avoid contacting him and to notify authorities. Investigators believe Soltys' 27-year-old wife was the first victim, Lewis said. She was found dead just inside the front door of their home shortly before 10 a.m. (1 p.m. EDT) in the suburban Sacramento community of North Highlands.

Yaskinsky said her niece was pregnant and was about to start a new job on Monday. Soltys was to start classes at a local college the same day, she said.

"She was excited about that. He also was happy. He shared with my sister her joy that she had a job," Yaskinsky said.

Soltys' aunt and uncle, along with a 10-year-old boy, were found dead at a home in the Rancho Cordova area of Sacramento. A 9-year-old girl found stabbed at the scene was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Authorities were at the first crime scene when reports of the other deaths came in from Rancho Cordova, about eight miles from North Highlands. Sheriff's deputies found the elderly aunt and uncle slain inside an upstairs bedroom of their home, and the 10-year-old boy was found dead on the front porch.

"There was some struggle, but it's really hard to characterize," Lewis said. There was "significant blood, significant violence involved."

The 9-year-old girl tried to escape the house and was found in the street outside, Lewis said. She was taken to University of California-Davis Medical Center but was pronounced dead of stab wounds on arrival, hospital spokeswoman Janet Dolan told CNN.

Lewis said the family was made up of immigrants from the Ukraine. The neighborhood around the second crime scene was made up largely of immigrants from Eastern Europe and Russia, and "there has been something of a communications gap here" as investigators tried to question witnesses.

Inna Yaskinsky, the slain wife's aunt, was shocked and could offer no explanation for the killings.

"It's somewhat difficult. The culture and language difficulties have been pretty much accounted for in that we have a Russian-speaking officer who has been able to break down those language barriers," Lewis said. The sheriff's department also brought in interpreters to aid in the investigation, he said.

Lewis said investigators would not release the names of those killed until the county coroner's office can notify relatives.

Soltys had no criminal history, Lewis said. He was last seen driving a silver Nissan Altima with California license plate 4MSZ683.

"There have been vague reports about him heading toward the Northwest area, like toward Oregon or Washington," Lewis said. "We have not been able to confirm those, but we are not going to rule those out as a possibility."

Yaskinsky said the family doesn't know where Soltys might be headed.

"We notified all the relatives or people he could know. We have no idea where he is. We have no idea where could he go," she said.