Steve Hutcheson stood over his wife and two children and shot them to death, one by one while they slept, before he left his McCalla home and later met up with his girlfriend to drink, do cocaine and have sex, authorities said today.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office this afternoon obtained warrants from Jefferson County District Attorney's Office in the Bessemer Cutoff, charging the 47-year-old Hutcheson with four counts of capital murder in the deaths of Hutcheson's wife, 49-year-old Doris; his daughter, 14-year-old Kimberly; and son, 12-year-old Peyton. The fourth capital murder charge addresses the murder of a child under the age of 14. Hutcheson's wife and daughter were each shot twice in the head and face area, authorities said. Peyton, it appears, saw it coming. He was on the couch, and then rolled to floor after having been shot three times, in the neck and face.

"I've seen some sad cases we have had to investigate over the years but it's hard to remember one more gut wrenching,'' said Sheriff Mike Hale. "I'm so sorry for that family and for that community and our prayers are with them. I'm also sorry for my deputies that had to endure what comes with such a task. That will stay with them for a lifetime."

Hutcheson remains at large, but authorities questioned his girlfriend, who is married and lives in north Shelby County, on Monday and again Tuesday. The girlfriend, who has not been charged with any crime, said she didn't know about the killings until later. Hutcheson and the girlfriend stayed together until Sunday morning.Sheriff's officials said she is not suspected in the slayings.

"A nationwide alert has been issued and all of our local law enforcement agencies are looking for Hutcheson,'' said Chief Deputy District Attorney Bill Veitch. "He will be found, and then we will proceed from there."

Sheriff's Chief Deputy Randy Christian said once Hutcheson is captured, he will be held without bond. Authorities said based on Hutcheson's financial situation, they believe he is still in the Jefferson County area.

Authorities said the home was a wreck, and likely staged to look like a robbery. After the shootings, Hutcheson met his girlfriend in the Winn Dixie parking lot, shirtless and still armed with the gun he used to slay his family. They drove around drinking beer, and bought cocaine at least three times before they were able to check into the Motel 6 in Bessemer at 8 a.m. Authorities said Hutcheson stole his wife's cell phone, and used it to text her sister telling her that she would be at the beach for several days.

Hutcheson also made his girlfriend drive by the Coleman Lake home, apparently to see if anyone had discovered the bodies. When the girlfriend questioned him on the possibility of his wife seeing them, authorities say he assured her that wasn't going to happen.

"It's just pure evil. To think a man could calculate and carry out something like this on his own wife and children is hard to comprehend,'' Christian said. "There are not many people that trust a father more than a child. To be able to put a gun to their head and take their life is a special kind of evil. To then callously go shack up and party with a girlfriend as if nothing happened is beyond comprehension."

"We will find him and we will help him keep his appointment with Hell,'' Christian said. "That can't happen soon enough."

Hutcheson's father, 84-year-old Jerry Hutcheson, said a friend told him of the warrants against his son late this afternoon. Asked if he was surprised, Jerry Hutcheson said, "Hell, it surprised everybody."

The elder Hutcheson, clearly shaken by the developments, said he's spoken repeatedly with detectives since Sunday night and said the ordeal is taking its toll. "I haven't eaten and slept over four hours in three days,'' he said. "I'm tired now."

Jerry Hutcheson said he's never seen his son do anything wrong, and said his friends haven't either. "He's been a damn good son to me,'' he said. "I'm done talking now."

The bodies of his family were discovered Sunday night. Deputies were called to the family's home at 5928 Coleman Lake Road just before 7 p.m. Sgt. Jack Self said a relative called them after going to check on the couple who family hadn't heard from all weekend.

That relative met another relative at the home and got inside through a window. Doris Hutcheson, the sister of a Birmingham police officer, and Kimberly Hutcheson were found dead in their beds. Peyton was found dead on the living room couch. All had been shot multiple times, authorities said.

Hutcheson was not at the home. Deputies and U.S. Marshals have spent the days - and nights - that have followed trying to find him, searching by land and air. The family's silver Dodge Stratus was also missing. Hutcheson is the roofing foreman for the Shelby County Schools maintenance department and has worked for the system for 15 years, according to schools spokeswoman Cindy Warner. She said today that he has now been placed on unpaid leave by the school district following the capital murder charges. "We are shocked and sadded by this tragedy and are prarying for the family during this time,'' said Superintendent Randy Fuller in a prepared statement. "We are cooperating with the authroities and are not at liberty to comment further on this ongoing investigation."

Shelby Barnhill, a niece of the couple, was on the scene Sunday night when the bodies were discovered. She said the family had not been seen or heard from since they were all swimming together Friday at their grandmother's home. Steve and Doris Hutcheson were supposed to take groceries to Steve Hutcheson's father Friday night but never showed up.

When no one heard from them the entire weekend, family members went to check on them. Barnhill said one cousin went into the home through a window. She entered through the basement, but never got inside the main living area.

Investigators, she said, made them leave when they found a bullet. All three bodies were in separate rooms of the house. "The house is destroyed,'' Barnhill said.

At first relatives thought the bodies were those of the husband and wife, and were frantically looking for the children, but then realized it was the wife and two children. "We are shell shocked," neighbor Jimbo Reynolds said at the scene Sunday night. Reynolds said they moved to the neighborhood eight years ago and the Hutchesons were already there. "They kept to themselves and didn't bother anybody," Reynolds said.

Family members, who said they had no knowledge of problems between the couple, have repeatedly tried to reach him, but to no avail. "When we call his phone, it goes straight to voicemail,'' Barnhill said.

Barnhill said her cousin Kimberly loved to sing. Peyton, she said, loved to build things with his father. Her aunt - Doris Jean Hutcheson - would do anything for anybody.

"They were sweet. I don't understand who could have done it and why," she said. "I don't think it was my uncle. We're just puzzled. We don't know where my uncle is or who would have him."

"Whoever did it better hope the cops find them before the family does,'' she said Sunday night.

Doris Hutcheson's family members declined comment this afternoon.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about his location is asked to call the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office at 205-325-1450 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.