Police have charged a Seattle man with first-degree theft in connection with the alleged disappearance of just over $200,000 in high-end collectibles from the home of a deceased Bothell resident.

Most noticeably, the missing items, many of which police say have been recovered from the suspect’s home, included dolls valued at over $100,000.

According to papers filed with King County Superior Court, Kevin William Lutton, 49, worked as a handyman for Bothell’s Catherine Spedden, who died in March 2009 at 95.

In June of last year, Spedden’s nephew, Richard Spedden, reported the theft of major pieces from the doll collection along with other items from his late aunt’s home on Northeast 157th Place.

Heirs to their aunt’s estate, following Catherine Spedden’s death, Richard Spedden and his siblings told police they conducted an extensive inventory of the many collectibles in the Bothell home. In the course of that inventory, they discovered anywhere between 100 and 200 dolls were missing from the large collection.

Richard Spedden also reported the disappearance of other items such as framed American Indian arrowheads presented to his aunt by his great-grandmother.

“Catherine collected numerous things and never got rid of anything,” said Roberta Wilcox, a detective with the King County Sheriff’s Office.

Wilcox made her comments in charging papers filed with the court.

According to Wilcox, Spedden’s niece used photos of the doll collection along with index cards to determine what dolls should have been sitting where in her aunt’s home.

Again according to charging papers, Richard Spedden told police his aunt had hired Lutton to do odd jobs around her home. Catherine Spedden and Lutton’s mother are described as having been friends for numerous years. Majorie Lutton also served as Spedden’s bookkeeper. Spedden spent the last few years of her life away from her Bothell home and in an assisted-living facility.

But Wilcox claims Spedden had Kevin Lutton organize her doll collection and bring certain dolls to the assisted-living apartment. Wilcox further claims Spedden discussed the dolls at length with Lutton. Richard Spedden claimed whoever took the missing dolls was familiar with the collection and removed only the most valuable.

After Catherine Spedden’s death, her nephew asked Lutton to move any items in his aunt’s assisted-living apartment back to the Bothell home. Richard Spedden told police he specifically asked Lutton not to do anything else at the home, but he feels that request was not followed. Wilcox claims Lutton had a key to his aunt’s house both before and after an initial visit by Richard Spedden. Spedden later changed the locks after allegedly discovering Lutton had been inside the home.

In July 2009, Wilcox accompanied Spedden to the Bothell home to meet with Lutton. Wilcox said she was introduced as Richard Spedden’s cousin. After some discussion, court papers say Lutton admitted to removing some dolls and claimed he was “just holding them” for the family. Eventually, Lutton told Spedden they could go to his home and immediately retrieve any missing items.

According to Wilcox: “Kevin led us through the home and pointed out numerous dolls, artwork and other antiques that had been placed in the home as if they belonged there.” As he went through his home, Lutton allegedly admitted the items belonged to Catherine Spedden. But he also stated they had been recovered from a rat-infested and water-damaged storage area. Wilcox claimed she saw so sign of any damage to any of the items.

In total, according to information given police by Richard Spedden, the family recovered $87,475 in dolls from Lutton, along with $14,759 in other collectibles, including the framed arrowheads. Spedden claimed there were an additional $53,000 in dolls still missing. Armed with a search warrant, Wilcox returned to Lutton’s home on July 21 of last year. Her report claims police removed 15 boxes of additional items allegedly belonging to Catherine Spedden, including piles of books dating back to the 1870s. Lutton was arrested at that point, charged with theft.

All in all, police say the items recovered from the Lutton home were valued at $200,397. The Spedden family contends another $6,000 worth of dolls still are missing.

Lutton is currently free, but faces a felony arraignment Nov. 16.