The New Mexico Department of Justice has reopened its investigation into alleged crimes at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch estate following the release of over three million documents by the U.S. Department of Justice under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The previous state inquiry was closed in 2019 to avoid overlapping with federal investigations into Epstein’s plea deal in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from an underage minor in Florida.
With the new revelations outlined in the unsealed FBI files, officials are taking a fresh look at what may have occurred at the 7,600-acre property near Santa Fe. Lauren Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for the New Mexico Department of Justice, stated that the agency would seek access to the unredacted files and proceed with the collection and preservation of any relevant evidence that remains available.
The office of Raúl Torrez, New Mexico’s attorney general, is investigating claims that two bodies were buried at the ranch based on an email from a person claiming to be a former employee. The email alleged that two “foreign girls” died of strangulation during “rough, fetish s–” and were buried on the orders of Jeffrey and Ghislaine Maxwell.
In response to these allegations, the state’s House of Representatives has voted to establish a truth commission to examine the events that transpired at the ranch. Andrea Romero, the Democratic representative for Santa Fe, sponsored the bill and stated that the subcommittee would use subpoena powers, public records, and testimony to uncover the truth.
Zorro Ranch was sold in 2023 to Donald Huffines, who plans to remake the property as a Christian retreat. The burial allegations have raised concerns that Epstein may have been operating as a serial killer, not just a serial abuser. Investigators are taking these claims seriously and exploring all possible angles in their inquiry.
The public narrative surrounding Epstein has focused on trafficking and abuse, but if the allegations of deaths and cover-ups are substantiated, it could potentially shift the investigation towards a serial killing framework. Prosecutors will need to examine whether there were multiple incidents tied to the same offender over time.
As investigators cautiously but seriously approach these new allegations, the possibility of Epstein being a serial killer is being thoroughly examined alongside other lines of inquiry. The language in the email and the references to concealed bodies have raised red flags, prompting a deeper dive into the disturbing claims surrounding Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch.
