Investigation Reopened on New Evidence
State investigators began searching Zorro Ranch in New Mexico on Monday, acting on newly released federal documents that contain allegations previously sealed from public view. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez reopened the investigation into the property last month, acting on new information in documents released in January by the U.S. Department of Justice. The documents included an accusation that Epstein ordered the bodies of two foreign girls buried in hills near the secluded property.
The ranch, located 30 miles south of Santa Fe, sits on sprawling acreage where Epstein built a hilltop mansion and private runway after purchasing the property in 1993 from then-governor Bruce King.
Physical Evidence and Search Methods
On Monday, a Reuters witness heard dogs barking and observed a government vehicle bearing a paw-print symbol leaving the ranch, indicating investigators were using animals in the search. State police and a county fire and rescue vehicle were also spotted at the property. The New Mexico Department of Justice confirmed that state police and the local sheriff's office conducted the search with full cooperation from the current property owners.
The property was sold by Epstein's estate in 2023, with proceeds distributed to creditors. The property was sold to the family of Don Huffines, a candidate in Texas for state comptroller who won the Republican primary last week.
Allegations at the Property
At least two women have made allegations of sexual misconduct at Zorro Ranch. One woman, identified in court documents as Jane Doe 15, said she was raped at the ranch when she was 15 years old. Another woman, Annie Farmer, alleged that Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's jailed accomplice, fondled her breasts at the ranch when Farmer was a teenager.
The New Mexico Department of Justice says the property may have been used for sexual abuse and sex trafficking of young women. Epstein never faced charges in New Mexico, though the state attorney general's office in 2019 confirmed it had interviewed possible victims who visited the ranch.
Political and Legislative Response
New Mexico Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury said the state's justice department was leaving "no stone unturned" in the search. "Epstein survivors have waited for far too long for justice and New Mexico is leading the way in the pursuit of truth and accountability," she wrote on X. Additionally, New Mexico state legislators have established a new commission to investigate past activities at the ranch.
The New Mexico Department of Justice said it "will continue to keep the public appropriately informed, support the survivors, and follow the facts wherever they lead."
