What is the status of Epstein's Zorro Ranch in New Mexico?

1. Why Zorro Ranch is back in the headlines: survivors, documents and a “truth commission” proposal

New attention to the ranch stems from survivor statements — including unpublished memoir material cited in recent document releases — that place girls at Zorro Ranch, and from New Mexico legislators who argue the state needs a dedicated probe to learn what happened there; Rep. Andrea Romero and others have framed the plan as a truth commission to investigate alleged trafficking, criminal activity and any state corruption tied to the estate ^{[5] [1]}. Reporting notes the proposed commission would be bipartisan, could take years, and would seek subpoena power similar to other high‑profile investigative panels ^{[1] [6]}.

2. What lawmakers want: scope, budget and timeline

Legislators have presented a plan to the Courts, Corrections and Justice Interim Committee to create a commission that would probe alleged sexual abuse and human trafficking at Zorro Ranch, identify possible gaps in state law Epstein may have exploited, and uncover public corruption if present; one report cites a proposed budget figure of about $2.5 million and warns results could be at least two years away ^{[1] [2] [6]}. Moving forward requires further legislative approvals, including forming an oversight committee when the Legislature convenes ^[6].

3. What state investigators have already done — and what they haven’t

While Epstein was never criminally charged in New Mexico, the state Attorney General’s office confirmed it interviewed possible victims who visited Zorro Ranch in 2019, and in 2023 the AG ordered an investigation into financial businesses used by Epstein to assess legal obligations — showing there have been prior state inquiries though not a public, comprehensive accounting of activities at the ranch ^{[3] [4]}. Available sources do not mention a completed, public criminal case connected to Zorro Ranch in New Mexico ^[3].

4. The property itself: size, history and name changes noted in reporting

Zorro Ranch is described in multiple accounts as a sprawling desert estate about 30–35 miles south of Santa Fe with a hilltop mansion and private runway; Epstein bought the property from former Gov. Bruce King in 1993 and built a large Mediterranean‑style house — reporting cites a 26,700‑square‑foot mansion and roughly 10,000 acres in various summaries ^{[2] [7]}. Some sources indicate the estate has been renamed by new owners to Rancho de San Rafael ^[7].

5. Competing viewpoints and political context inside New Mexico

Proponents of the commission say survivors deserve a public accounting and that New Mexicans have a right to know if trafficking and corruption reached into the state; opponents question timing and political motives, with at least one Republican lawmaker asking “Why now?” and suggesting partisan currents — including national debates around document releases — may be influencing the push ^{[4] [8]}. Reporting includes both the view that the probe is overdue and the counterargument that calls for investigation can be politically timed ^{[4] [8]}.

6. Limits of current reporting and what remains unknown

Existing coverage establishes that legislators have proposed a formal state inquiry and that prior AG interviews occurred, but available sources do not provide a public, detailed accounting of specific events alleged at the ranch, names of any new owners who reportedly renamed the property, or evidence produced to date that would substantiate particular criminal acts in New Mexico — those details are either not yet public or not mentioned in current reporting ^{[7] [3]}. The timeline, subpoena use, and final scope of any commission remain contingent on legislative approvals ^[6].

7. Why this matters beyond New Mexico

Advocates frame a state commission as part of a broader, international reckoning with Epstein’s network and methods, seeking lessons to prevent trafficking and address possible official failures; critics warn about the risks of politicizing survivors’ stories and of duplicative or lengthy inquiries with unclear outcomes ^{[2] [4]}. If approved, New Mexico’s effort would join congressional document releases and other probes that have renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s properties and associates ^{[5] [2]}.

Bottom line: New Mexico lawmakers are actively pursuing a state‑level inquiry into Zorro Ranch, backed by survivor accounts and prior AG activity, but the commission is still a proposal that must clear legislative steps and will face questions about scope, evidence and political motives as it moves forward ^{[1] [3]}.