Slayings suspect put on FBI's 'Most Wanted List'

SACRAMENTO, California (CNN) -- The FBI added Nikolay Soltys to its "Ten Most Wanted List" on Thursday, hoping the move will generate fresh leads in pursuit of the man suspected of killing his pregnant wife, toddler son and four other relatives in California this week.

Authorities also said a $70,000 reward had been posted for information leading to the capture of Soltys, the focus of a nationwide dragnet since first five victims were found Monday and Soltys disappeared with his 3-year-old son, who later turned up dead.

Capt. John McGinness of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department said investigators "have had some fairly credible sightings" of Soltys in the previous 24 hours.

Meanwhile, police in Charlotte, North Carolina, said Thursday that Soltys, 27, may be on his way to their city or may already be in the area.

"We are working closely with the FBI and with other agencies, but at the same time we are going to need the public's help," said Charlotte police spokesman Keith Bridges. "Obviously, he is considered armed and dangerous."

VIDEO The missing child of Nikolay Soltys, sought in the deaths of five of his family members, was found dead north of Sacramento, California (August 21) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Sacramento authorities say the suspect is a member of the victims' family of Ukrainian immigrants (August 20) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   MORE STORIES • Sacramento killing suspect may have extortion cash   • Case puts spotlight on Ukrainian-American community     EXTRA INFORMATION • Gallery: Sacramento killings rampage   • Map: Key locations in California slayings   • Anyone with information on Nikolay Soltys' whereabouts should call either 800 222-7463 or 916 443-4357     RESOURCES FBI: Ten Most Wanted Fugitives   FBI: Nikolay Soltys   Message board: Family violence     AUDIO 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

Bridges said the Ukrainian immigrant, who once lived in Charlotte and has friends and family there, may have driven or hitch-hiked cross-country. He said Soltys' friends and relatives have been provided police protection after expressing concern for their safety.

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that Soltys is receiving assistance in eluding capture. He has relatives in New York, North Carolina, and Seattle.

McGinnis discounted a tip that Soltys may have been picked up by a trucker Tuesday in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but said police were following up all leads in their search for the suspect.

"Just as any other bit of information [that] comes in, we need to analyze it objectively and not close our minds to the options, because much of the information that has come in throughout the course of this investigation has been somewhat surprising to us initially," McGinnis told CNN.

Officials initially thought Soltys was driving a silver 1995 Nissan Altima. The car had been seen at the two sites where the killings took place and was later discovered in a strip mall parking lot. In it were notes, police said, one of which led to the discovery of the body of Soltys' son on Tuesday.

An auto mechanic later told authorities he performed cosmetic work on a vehicle Soltys was driving Monday night, describing the car as a mid-1990s emerald green Ford Explorer with silver paint at the bumper line and below. He said the rear hatch was of a lighter green color than the rest of the vehicle.

The mechanic said Soltys' son, Sergey, was with the suspect at the time. He said he worked on the car around 8 p.m., just hours after Soltys' wife and four other relatives were stabbed to death at two suburban Sacramento sites and apparently shortly before Sergey was killed.

McGinnis said sheriff's officials have received many calls from people who believe they have seen Soltys' Explorer, in part because the SUV is so common.

"We're getting a lot of calls that really don't have any substance to them, but we are working on information developed through sources -- not just limited to sightings -- that suggest a strong likelihood, at least, that he still continues to remain in this area," McGinnis said.

He said there have been no promising sightings of Soltys since the time the mechanic said he worked on the Explorer.

"Anybody associated with him, or knows where this individual is at, is at risk for being his next victim," Sacramento County Sheriff Lou Blanas said Wednesday.

The notes scribbled on the back of photographs found inside the abandoned Nissan laid out the killings in numbered sequence, investigators said.

In the notes, authorities said, Soltys wrote his wife was killed "for her speaking" or "for her tongue" -- a possible reference to discussing marital matters outside the family, investigators believe.

The notes also said Soltys' two young cousins, 9-year-old Tatyana Kukharskaya and 10-year-old Dimitry Kukharskiy, were killed for their parents' "speaking" or "tongue."

Soltys' pregnant wife was found fatally stabbed Monday in front of a neighbor's house in North Highlands, a suburb of Sacramento. A short time later the other four victims were found outside and inside a house in Rancho Cordova, about 5 to 10 miles away.

The suspect's elderly aunt and uncle, who owned the home, were found dead upstairs. Dimitry, their grandson, was found dead on the walkway outside and Tatyana, their granddaughter, was found stabbed in the street. She later died at a hospital.

Sergey's bloody body was found in a cardboard box in a garbage-littered area of Placer County, adjacent to Sacramento County. Police were led there by a note on the back of a photograph found in Soltys' abandoned Nissan.