Immigrant family buried; suspect still at large

SACRAMENTO, California (CNN) -- Six members of a Ukrainian immigrant family were buried Sunday as authorities sought the relative charged with the killings.

The service at Bethany Slavic Missionary Church was conducted under a heavy police presence because suspect Nikolay Soltys remains at large.

Grieving friends and relatives watched as the coffins were brought into the church and later to a nearby cemetery. Children carried photos of the victims.

Soltys, 27, is the newest addition to the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list. He is accused of killing his pregnant wife and 3-year-old son, his aunt and uncle and two young cousins on August 20.

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 (916) 874-5321 or (916) 874-5414     RESOURCES FBI: Ten Most Wanted Fugitives   FBI: Nikolay Soltys   Message board: Family violence

Authorities said Friday the search is focusing on the Sacramento area because there have been no credible sightings anywhere else. The manhunt is concentrating on Ukrainian neighborhoods where Soltys may be seeking refuge.

New tips were phoned in after the case was featured Saturday night on the Fox television show "America's Most Wanted." Jim Layton, a spokesman for the show, said 109 tips came in shortly after Saturday night's broadcast, and more came in Sunday.

Layton said the calls were concentrated in the Sacramento area, but came in from across the country.

A local television station broadcast a plea Friday from Soltys' mother, who begged her son to give himself up and to not cause any more pain. She lives in the Sacramento area and spoke in Russian.

Soltys' pregnant wife Lyubov was killed at the couple's home. A short time later, his aunt and uncle were killed at their home along with Soltys' two second cousins -- 9-year-old girl Tatyana Kukharskaya and her 10-year-old brother Dimitry Kukharskiy.

The body of Soltys' 3-year-old son Sergey was found in a cardboard box Tuesday at a remote location in Placer County, near Sacramento.

Sacramento County Sheriff's Department Capt. John McGinness said all the victims "were slashed." No weapons have been found.

Soltys has eluded authorities for a week. His 1995 Nissan Altima was found abandoned after the killings; in it was a note that led detectives to Sergey's body.

Investigators found another note from Soltys in the car with a numbered list referring to the slayings, suggesting each had been killed "for speaking out," sheriff's Detective Ron Garverick said.

Police had said family members may have chastised Soltys for not having a job, but Garverick said the meaning of the message was unclear.

A $70,000 reward has been posted for information leading to Soltys' capture, said sheriff's department spokeswoman Sharon Chow.