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CNN Live At Daybreak

Suspected California Killer Still on the Run

Aired August 22, 2001 - 08:03   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to begin in the West, where a child is killed -- the sixth member of a California family to die. His father, the suspected killer, is still on the run.

CNN's James Hattori is in Sacramento very early this morning.

James, what is the latest now on this investigation?

JAMES HATTORI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Sacramento County Sheriff's investigators tell us they are receiving an increased number of tips overnight, perhaps due to the $10,000 reward now being offered in this case. A killing rampage that -- whose toll went from five to six with the discovery of the body of 3-year-old Sergey Soltys, son of suspect Nikolay Soltys late yesterday afternoon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): It was a search of Nikolay Soltys's abandoned car found late Monday night that led to the grizzly discovery, this photograph of 3-year-old Sergei Soltys and his now deceased mother was tucked into a car door map packet. On the back of the photo, some writing in Russian characters...

SGT. JAMES LEWIS, SACRAMENTO CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT,: Which we interpreted last night to say something to the effect that the child is in a box next to a tower on top of some garbage at the of end of Watt Avenue. HATTORI: Detectives searched the location at the north end of Sacramento County into Placer County through Tuesday morning. Only after expanding the search area did they find the box described in the note.

LEWIS: The child was found in a box which has been described as a cardboard box that would hold a 36 inch television. The top of the box, there was no top of the box. The child has significant trauma. There is blood on the child and in the box. It appears as though the suspect left him there dead.

HATTORI: Investigators say they still have no idea where to find the suspect, Nikolay Soltys, a Ukrainian immigrant, nor do they have a possible motive for the stabbing deaths of his wife, aunt, uncle their two grandchildren and now Soltys's own son. They're asking Sacramento's Russian and Ukrainian communities for help. Community leaders say they want him found too.

VALENTIN KALINOVSKIY, BETHANY SLAVIC MISSIONARY CHURCH: If they would see him anywhere they would call police immediately, yes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HATTORI: There is a lot of speculation as to the whereabouts of Soltys. He has relatives in North Carolina, in Washington state, as well as New York, where he lived for a time. There is speculation that because he abandoned the car near I-80, perhaps he is hitchhiking, perhaps he is hiding in the community here.

Authorities have taken steps to revoke his passport, Carol, in case he tries to leave the country.

LIN: But what next, James? I mean, is the FBI at this point going to be brought into this case? Are they contacting law enforcement in these other states to start a manhunt there?

HATTORI: They have put out a wide net of information, but there is no concrete evidence that he has gone anywhere particularly. They are waiting for someone with information that might lead them in one particular direction. Otherwise, there are so many avenues to pursue. It would be a mistake to, you know, just wildly go out and pursue them all.

LIN: Sure.

HATTORI: And they can't. There is not enough manpower.

LIN: Sure. Has law enforcement indicated whether he is still a threat to anyone else out there? So far, he has apparently targeted his own family.

HATTORI: Well, that's precisely what they think. I mean, the biggest concern until yesterday was where was his son? Because he was the last family member that they were concerned about. Now, of course, that concern unfortunately is put aside, and they don't believe that he is a direct threat to the public, because he was targeting apparently members of his family.

LIN: All right. Thank you very much, James Hattori -- very early out there in California.

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