The New Mexico Department of Justice is reopening its investigation into Zorro Ranch, the Santa Fe County property formerly owned by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. NMDOJ Chief of Staff Lauren Rodriguez said in a statement last week that the department's previous investigation was closed in 2019 at the request of the U.S. Department of Justice. Rodriguez said that new information in previously sealed FBI document warrants further investigation. The USDOJ has released millions of documents in recent months tied to Epstein. Many of the emails, flight logs and other reports have connections to New Mexico.
State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard recently urged the state and federal justice departments to investigate an anonymous claim that two girls were buried near the ranch years ago. Garcia Richard said that, to her knowledge, no agency has investigated that tip.
Texas politician Don Huffines now owns the property, which he renamed San Rafael Ranch. Huffines announced last week that he plans to turn the ranch into a Christian retreat center. He purchased the ranch with his family in 2023 under an anonymous LLC.
The NMDOJ will seek full access to complete and unredacted federal case files and plans to work collaboratively with law enforcement and the newly formed Epstein Truth Committee. The state House of Representatives voted to approve the committee last week. Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe) is the committee's chair and is joined by Rep. Mariana Anaya (D-Albuquerque), Rep. William Hall (R- San Juan) and Rep. Andrea Reeb (R-Chaves). Hall is a retired FBI agent and Reeb is a prosecutor with experience in sexual assault crimes.
Anaya told KSFR the committee is currently working to hire investigative staff and build its website to share its findings with the public. Anaya said she hopes to answer the questions that New Mexicans have been asking about Zorro Ranch for many years. The committee hopes to tour the property. Anaya said that ,"everything is on the table."
U.S. Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-3) has announced that Epstein survivor Elizabeth Stein will be her guest for Tuesday's State of the Union address. Stein is also an advocate, human trafficking specialist, and prominent voice in the demand for transparency and accountability in the Epstein case. Drawing on her lived experience, Stein has helped lead efforts to expose systemic failures that allowed abuse to occur and has advocated for the full release of the Epstein files.
While Fernández will not be attending the address itself, her office says she will be participating in "alternative programming focused on families harmed by the [Trump's] administration’s policies."
In addition to Fernández and Stein, U.S. Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury will travel to D.C. along with Rep. Romero. Stansbury said that bringing Romero to the State of the Union is about “centering the voices of survivors and those seeking justice and accountability." She added that Romero is “a fierce and fearless leader in the fight for justice in New Mexico."
