Bee reporters answer questions about area crime news, trends and other issues.
QUESTION: In mid-August 2001, there was a crime event in Sacramento that made national news. I was in New York and heard about it, but a few weeks later, Sept. 11 happened and pushed it out of the news. What were the circumstances?
Submitted by: Anonymous, Sacramento
ANSWER: You likely are referring to the bloody rampage by Nikolay Soltys, who killed six family members, including his pregnant wife and 3-year-old son, Aug. 20, 2001.
The 27-year-old Ukrainian emigre was the subject of a 10-day manhunt. During that time, he was placed on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List, and a $120,000 reward was offered for his arrest and conviction.
Soltys was captured Aug. 30 in his mother's back yard in Citrus Heights after police were tipped off by his brother.
According to stories in The Bee, Soltys told authorities that he killed an aunt and uncle, two 9-year-old cousins, his wife and son because he believed family members were poisoning him.
He was charged with seven counts of first-degree murder, including the murder of his wife's fetus.
Soltys committed suicide Feb. 13, 2002, hanging himself in his Sacramento County jail cell before he could be tried.









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