Hundreds gathered on the side of New Mexico State Highway 41 Sunday afternoon near the entrance of the former Zorro Ranch—a property that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein owned from the early 1990s until his death in 2019. Some constructed a memorial outside the gates of the ranch while others met about mile north to sing protest songs and hear speeches from political leaders and survivor advocates. Attendees want to remove redactions from the Epstein files and to see more of Epstein’s associates prosecuted.
Although Epstein survivors have alleged Epstein and others carried out numerous sex crimes at Zorro Ranch, the U.S. Department of Justice requested the state of New Mexico shut down its investigation into the property in 2019. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said last month that he is reopening the investigation.
Sky Roberts said that despite the ranch’s notorious reputation, his sister, Epstein abuse survivor Virginia Roberts Giuffre, spoke fondly of Zorro Ranch at times.
“She actually loved New Mexico; she loved horseback riding and the outdoors,” Roberts said. “It's a place where a lot of abuse happened, but it was also a bit of a sanctuary for her.”
Roberts Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, was one of the most outspoken Epstein abuse survivors. Roberts Giuffre’s posthumous memoir was one factor that contributed to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, being stripped of his royal status.
U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM) introduced Virginia’s bill in Roberts Giuffre’s honor last month and it awaits a vote from both chambers. The bill would eliminate the statute of limitations for certain federal civil lawsuits related to sexual abuse and sex trafficking.
Leger Fernandez stood side-by-side with Sky Roberts and his wife Amanda Roberts at the roadside rally. Leger Fernandez praised the bipartisan Epstein Truth Commission that the New Mexico House of Representatives formed last month.
“You have both Republicans and Democrats willing to sit together and say, ‘We want to find out what happened here, and then we want to change the laws and prosecute,’” Leger Fernandez said.
But she was also quick to point out the shortcomings of both Democrats and Republicans to proactively pursue Epstein and his associates. Leger Fernandez said that the inaction of lawmakers and federal prosecutors has forced survivors to come forward and publicly share their stories of abuse at the hands of powerful men. Leger Fernandez said that this amounts to, “asking the survivors to do the work that prosecutors should be doing.” She said that responsibility should not rest on survivors alone.
“It's our job,” Leger Fernandez said. “It is the Department of Justice’s job, it's Pam Bondi's job. It is the job of prior administrations who failed because it has been a bipartisan failure to prosecute.”
Felicia Davis traveled from Albuquerque to attend the rally and plant flowers outside of the gates at Zorro Ranch. She said that given the recent government interest in investigating Zorro Ranch, the public needs to keep the pressure on.
“Right now is the time to add some traction to this so that it gets the steam it needs to take off and become something,” Davis said.
Davis also noted that some Epstein associates who may have been standing in the way of investigations are no longer in positions of power. She specifically mentioned former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Richardson reportedly made plans to meet with Epstein at least nine times after Epstein was convicted of sex crimes. Richardson died in 2023.
Texas politician Don Huffines now owns Zorro Ranch. Huffines has changed the name to San Rafael Ranch and has announced plans to open a Christian retreat center on the site.
Davis hopes that survivors will continue speaking out about Zorro Ranch and hopefully prevent further abuse from happening on the property.
Roberts Giufrre’s sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, shares Davis’s sentiment—state lawmakers and the public must keep the pressure on.
“New Mexico is setting the example, and we expect other states to follow,” Amanda Roberts said. “Because if the government isn't going to do it at the high level, then we need to do it as a state. We need to do it as individuals, and we need to continue that pressure.”
Her husband, Sky Roberts, said he looks to the memory of his sister for motivation in this long, agonizing fight.
“It doesn't matter if we need to go to DC and change the legislation there or come to the doorsteps of one of the the most horrendous perpetrators of all time,” Sky Roberts said. “We're going to show up because that's what Virginia would do.”
