State investigators have launched a new search of Jeffrey Epstein's remote New Mexico ranch after explosive allegations that the bodies of two girls may have been buried on the sprawling property, thrusting the long‑quiet Zorro Ranch back into the centre of public scrutiny.
Authorities in New Mexico began searching the former Zorro Ranch on 10 March 2026 as part of a reopened criminal investigation into alleged crimes linked to the late financier and convicted sex offender.
The operation was ordered by state Attorney General Raúl Torrez after previously sealed federal investigative files revealed disturbing claims about activities at the ranch.
Officials say the search could help determine whether evidence remains years after Epstein's death in a Manhattan jail in 2019.
New Search Ordered After Tip About Buried Bodies
The New Mexico Department of Justice confirmed that investigators, supported by the New Mexico State Police and the Sandoval County Sheriff's Office, began searching the property under Torrez's direction. The operation marks the first known comprehensive state search of Epstein's New Mexico estate.
'At the direction of Attorney General Torrez, the New Mexico Department of Justice initiated a search this morning of the Zorro Ranch property previously owned by Jeffrey Epstein,' the agency said in a statement issued on 9 March 2026.
Officials said the search is tied to a broader criminal investigation announced on 19 February 2026 examining allegations of illegal activity at the ranch before Epstein's death. Authorities urged the public to avoid the area and refrain from flying drones near the property to prevent interference with the investigation.
The renewed probe was prompted in part by information contained in recently released Department of Justice files related to Epstein. Among the most striking claims is an allegation that Epstein ordered the burial of two foreign girls in the hills surrounding the ranch.
That allegation appears in a 2019 email from a person claiming to be a former employee at the property. The message asserted that the girls died by strangulation during sexual encounters and were secretly buried nearby. Investigators have not confirmed the credibility of the claim, but state officials say it warrants examination given the scale of Epstein's alleged trafficking network.
🚨BREAKING: Authorities raid Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in NM, hunting for bodies of two girls allegedly strangled in rough sex sessions amid human experimentation claims from unredacted docs.
— Bethany O’Leary 🇺🇸 🦅 (@BBMagaMom) March 10, 2026
Massive search underway!#EpsteinFiles pic.twitter.com/o8NriKc4Za
A Secluded Estate Long Linked To Abuse Allegations
Zorro Ranch sits about 48 kilometres south of Santa Fe near the rural community of Stanley, New Mexico. Epstein purchased the vast property in 1993 from the family of former New Mexico governor Bruce King.
The estate spans thousands of acres and includes a large hilltop mansion and private airstrip. Former employees and accusers have alleged that Epstein flew young women and guests to the ranch for visits that sometimes involved sexual exploitation.
Several Epstein accusers have said they were abused at the property. Annie Farmer, for example, testified in court filings that she was sexually assaulted there as a teenager in the 1990s. The allegations formed part of broader claims that Epstein trafficked underage girls across multiple properties in the United States and abroad.
Despite the accusations, Epstein was never charged with crimes specifically related to activities in New Mexico. However, state investigators interviewed potential victims who visited the ranch during a 2019 inquiry.
That investigation was halted later that year at the request of federal prosecutors in New York, who were pursuing their own case against Epstein. The financier died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges involving dozens of underage victims.
Newly Released Federal Files Revived The Case
The current investigation gained momentum after the US Department of Justice released millions of documents related to Epstein earlier in 2026. The files contained witness statements, investigative leads and previously undisclosed tips submitted to federal authorities.
Among them was the email alleging the burial of two girls near the ranch. While the claim remains unverified, Torrez said the newly surfaced information justified reopening the case.
State officials emphasised that the investigation is focused on determining whether crimes occurred in New Mexico and whether additional victims or evidence can still be identified.
The passage of time presents challenges. Epstein last controlled the ranch before his death in 2019, meaning investigators are working years after the alleged events occurred. Nevertheless, forensic methods such as cadaver dogs and ground analysis may still detect evidence of buried remains or disturbed soil.
Justice for the Epstein survivors is not a partisan issue. Period.
— Rep. Melanie Stansbury (@Rep_Stansbury) March 2, 2026
In New Mexico, we know that. That’s why we passed a BIPARTISAN truth commission to investigate Zorro Ranch—especially after the feds asked NM to drop its case in 2019. We will pursue justice at every turn! pic.twitter.com/rd1BtOQA9j
Property Sold But New Owners Cooperating
Zorro Ranch is no longer owned by Epstein's estate. The property was sold in 2023 to the family of Texas businessman and former state senator Don Huffines, with proceeds directed to creditors of Epstein's estate.
State officials say the current owners have cooperated with investigators and granted access for the search. Authorities have not disclosed how long the operation will continue or whether any evidence has been recovered.
Meanwhile, New Mexico lawmakers have also launched a bipartisan 'truth commission' tasked with examining Epstein's activities in the state and determining whether institutional failures allowed alleged abuses to go unchecked for years.
The commission is expected to gather testimony, review records and examine whether law enforcement or public officials missed opportunities to intervene.
Search Could Reshape Understanding Of Epstein's Network
The investigation into Zorro Ranch represents one of the most significant attempts yet to examine Epstein's operations outside the jurisdictions where he was formally charged.
For survivors and investigators alike, the remote ranch remains a key location in the effort to understand the full extent of the late financier's alleged abuse network.
Whether the current search uncovers evidence or not, authorities say the probe is intended to answer lingering questions about what occurred on the isolated property and whether victims or crimes linked to Epstein have yet to be fully accounted for.
