New Mexico Reopens Probe into Epstein’s Zorro Ranch After Allegation of Buried Bodies Surfaces in Files
Santa Fe, New Mexico / Washington – New Mexico authorities have reopened a criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch, prompted by a chilling but unverified allegation in recently unsealed federal documents: that two foreign girls were strangled and buried on or near the sprawling property at the late financier’s direction. The claim, detailed in a redacted 2019 anonymous email included in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Epstein Files releases, has reignited scrutiny of the remote ranch south of Santa Fe, though no physical evidence of graves or remains has emerged.
The email, sent to a local radio host shortly after Epstein’s 2019 death, alleged the girls died “by strangulation during rough, fetish sex” and were interred “somewhere in the hills outside the Zorro” on orders from Epstein and an associate referred to as “Madam G”—widely interpreted as Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s convicted co-conspirator serving 20 years for sex trafficking. New Mexico’s Department of Justice confirmed on February 19, 2026, that the revelation “warrants further examination,” seeking unredacted versions from federal custodians while coordinating with a bipartisan legislative “truth commission” established days earlier to probe abuse and trafficking allegations at the site.
Zorro Ranch, acquired by Epstein in 1993 and featuring a 26,700-square-foot mansion on roughly 7,600–10,000 acres, has long been accused in civil suits and victim testimonies of serving as a venue for sexual exploitation. Survivors, including Virginia Giuffre and Annie Farmer, described being trafficked and abused there as teenagers or young adults, with the isolation amplifying vulnerability. Federal authorities searched Epstein’s New York townhouse and Little St. James island after his 2019 arrest but never conducted a full search of the New Mexico property, according to state officials and media reviews of the files.
The anonymous tip—echoed in a 2021 FBI report but apparently not pursued—surfaced amid the DOJ’s transparency push, which has disclosed millions of pages detailing Epstein’s network. No forensic discoveries, such as unearthed skulls with ligature marks or recovered ropes, have been reported; the investigation remains at the stage of document review and potential witness interviews. New Mexico Public Lands Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard urged federal and state law enforcement in February 2026 to probe the claim, noting adjacent public land might be involved. The truth commission, comprising four lawmakers, aims to hear survivor testimony and assess why earlier inquiries closed without deeper action.
Epstein, who died by suicide in custody while awaiting federal trial on trafficking charges, faced no New Mexico charges despite 2019 interviews with possible victims. Maxwell’s trial highlighted ranch-related abuse, but the burial allegation introduces a murder dimension unproven in court. Critics, including state Rep. Andrea Romero, argue institutional failures allowed such sites to evade scrutiny, while skeptics caution against amplifying unverified tips without evidence.
The ranch, sold by Epstein’s estate in 2023 to a Texas family, is no longer linked to his heirs. As the probe unfolds, it underscores persistent questions about elite impunity and victim justice in the Epstein saga. Whether the allegation leads to excavation or dismissal, it has compelled New Mexico to confront a chapter long sidelined.
Leave a Reply