Zorro Ranch Investigations, Official Visits, and Property Searches

UpdatedSeptember 29, 2026

ByEpsteinWiki

Snapshot

Zorro Ranch near Stanley, New Mexico, appeared in survivor accounts and federal investigative records years before authorities conducted a confirmed search of the property for evidence of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes. Officials did visit the ranch earlier. State land personnel inspected an area near cultural sites in 2004. FBI agents interviewed ranch manager Brice Gordon at the property in 2007. Police later responded to emergency calls and reported crimes there. Those events had different purposes and should not be described as a comprehensive search for evidence of abuse or trafficking.

New Mexico opened its own Epstein investigation in 2019. It stopped its independent sex trafficking inquiry after reaching an arrangement with federal prosecutors in New York. FBI officials then discussed why Zorro Ranch remained unsearched, and federal prosecutors in New Mexico offered to help with a possible warrant. The New Mexico Department of Justice announced the first confirmed criminal search of the ranch in the Epstein investigation on March 9, 2026.

This is a consolidated account of documented public activity, through September 29, 2026. The New Mexico Survivors’ Truth Commission says the police activity record is incomplete. The state has not released a complete return or final findings for its 2026 property search.

Key Takeaways

The FBI visited Zorro Ranch in 2007. Agents interviewed manager Brice Gordon at the ranch. The interview record does not establish a search of the buildings or grounds.
A state agency inspected part of the ranch in 2004. The State Land Office examined heavy machinery and an improvement near state trust land and petroglyph sites. It was a land use inspection, not an Epstein sex trafficking search.
New Mexico investigated Epstein in 2019. State investigators gathered records and interviewed potential victims before agreeing to stop their independent sex trafficking inquiry and share materials with federal prosecutors.
Federal officials considered a ranch search but did not document one. An August 2019 FBI discussion records investigators’ view that they lacked probable cause and did not expect useful evidence to remain. A later offer to help prepare a warrant did not become a documented executed search.
Local police investigated other incidents at the ranch. Emergency dispatches, a reported firearm theft, trespass, assault, burglary, and later calls are part of the property’s official history. They should be identified by their actual subject.
New Mexico searched the ranch in March 2026. State investigators had the current owners’ cooperation. Public reporting identifies dogs and drones among the resources used, but no complete official search inventory has been released.
The anonymous burial allegation is unverified. A tip and an investigation do not establish that deaths or burials occurred. The commission reported that the 2026 search had not confirmed human remains.
The state criminal inquiry and legislative Truth Commission remain distinct. One investigates potential crimes. The other obtains testimony and records to examine alleged abuse and institutional failures.

How to Read the Search Record

Several kinds of official activity appear in this history:

An onsite interview establishes that agents came to the property to speak with someone. It does not establish that they searched rooms, devices, vehicles, or land.
A land inspection establishes that an agency examined a defined site for an administrative purpose. It should not be expanded into a criminal investigation without supporting records.
A police response may result in an incident investigation. A burglary inquiry at the ranch remains a burglary inquiry unless officers also undertook a documented investigation of Epstein’s conduct.
An offsite investigation may collect powerful evidence about the ranch through survivor statements, travel records, photographs, and materials seized elsewhere. It does not establish a physical search of the ranch.
A property search involves investigators examining the site for evidence. Its scope and findings must be established from the legal authority, operational records, inventories, and laboratory results, when those records become available.

The Truth Commission’s interim report treats March 2026 as the first search of Zorro Ranch in the Epstein investigation. That does not erase the documented earlier visits for other purposes.

The 2004 State Land Office Inspection

A State Land Office file, EFTA01305252, contains a March 2, 2004, memorandum concerning heavy machinery near the Comanche Gap and Creston petroglyph sites in the Zorro Ranch area. State personnel inspected the location after receiving a report that work might be occurring on or near state trust land.

The inspectors described a prepared pad for a caboose on a short stretch of track and recorded that a ranch hand escorted them. The file then addresses permission for an improvement and the relationship between the work and the state lease.

This was a documented physical inspection. It does not establish that the inspectors entered the residence or looked for evidence of sexual abuse. Its value to the broader record is that it shows government access to a particular area and preserves details about land control and improvements years before the criminal search.

Federal Interviews Before 2019

A February 2007 FBI record, EFTA00269597, identifies February 8, 2007, and 49 Zorro Ranch Road as the date and location of an interview with ranch manager Brice Gordon. Federal investigators therefore did reach the property while Epstein was alive.

The record documents an interview, not a warrant or full property search. That distinction corrects two misleading shortcuts: it is inaccurate to say agents never visited the ranch, and it is unsupported to say this interview proves the FBI searched it.

Federal investigators also interviewed people whose experiences involved Zorro Ranch. A later FBI interview, EFTA00090036, describes work at the ranch and access restrictions within the house. Such accounts could identify rooms, staff, practices, or additional witnesses. They cannot substitute for physical evidence that was never collected at the site.

Survivor Accounts That Directed Attention to New Mexico

Survivors described experiences at Zorro Ranch in federal interviews and court proceedings. Annie Farmer’s account concerned conduct involving Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in New Mexico when she was 16. A different survivor’s statement, EFTA00019994, describes being flown to the ranch at age 15 in 2004 and sexually abused there.

The accounts concern different people and events. They establish why the ranch was an important investigative location. Whether particular information would have satisfied the legal requirements for a warrant at a specific time depends on the evidence then available to investigators and the proposed scope of that warrant.

Agents also recovered potential ranch related leads at other properties. EFTA01648851 describes seized media bearing Zorro related labels. EFTA01625916 concerns FBI review of image material. These records should be evaluated for their content and original seizure location. A disc seized in Manhattan was not seized from Zorro Ranch, and its label does not independently establish where every image was made.

Sex Offender Registration Records and Their Limits

New Mexico’s 2010 registration correspondence requires careful wording. A July 23 notice, EFTA00728275, told Epstein that he met a registration requirement. His lawyer responded, and the Department of Public Safety’s August 19 determination, EFTA00731095, said he was not required to register under the cited New Mexico law for his Florida conviction at that time. It also raised the possibility of a separate federal requirement during temporary residence.

A later legal memorandum, EFTA00727403, and an account to a sheriff’s detective, EFTA01147516, say Epstein voluntarily registered with the Santa Fe County sheriff. The underlying registration form, date, and complete visit log are not established by those statements alone.

Registration correspondence shows official attention to Epstein’s presence in New Mexico. It does not demonstrate an investigation or search of the ranch. The differing notices also mean that a simple statement that New Mexico “required him to register” would be inaccurate.

Emergency Calls and Police Incidents Before 2019

The Truth Commission’s August 2026 interim report says its police activity record is incomplete. It identifies the following earlier contacts:

February 16, 2016: A call from the ranch’s main landline reached emergency dispatch and ended. Dispatch called back and police responded. The known account does not establish why the initial call was made or that officers opened a trafficking investigation.
August 2018: New Mexico State Police responded to a reported firearm theft at Zorro Ranch. The commission sought additional records about this call. Its interim review found no evidence that Epstein himself was under investigation for unlawful firearm possession.

These are official contacts with the ranch. Neither can be treated as a property search for evidence of Epstein’s sexual offenses on the information presently identified.

New Mexico’s 2019 Investigation

Former Attorney General Hector Balderas says his office opened an independent inquiry into Epstein and Zorro Ranch in early 2019. According to the New Mexico Department of Justice’s account, investigators identified potential victims and began formal interviews.

The inquiry also involved property information. The New Mexico State Land Office said that it gave the attorney general’s office records concerning Epstein related leases on July 16, 2019. Land and flight records could identify jurisdiction, access, and travel patterns. Obtaining them was an investigative step, not a search of ranch buildings or grounds.

Why New Mexico Stopped Its Independent Sex Trafficking Inquiry

A federal email chain, EFTA00019183, records a Southern District of New York prosecutor’s account of discussions with New Mexico officials in July 2019. The prosecutor wrote that the New Mexico attorney general’s office agreed to stop its sex trafficking inquiry and provide material gathered to date. The correspondence said the state could continue unrelated investigations and that federal prosecutors would later share information concerning possible state crimes.

Balderas later said New Mexico stopped its interviews and transferred investigative work because it expected that cooperation. The state has cited a handwritten investigative note, EFTA01681971, concerning the arrangement. New Mexico says the promised return of information did not occur.

The record supports the existence of an interagency arrangement and a pause in the independent state sex trafficking inquiry. It does not identify every reason federal agents later decided against searching the property.

The FBI’s 2019 Search Discussion

An August 2019 FBI email chain, EFTA00165502, and its continuation, EFTA00165503, show senior officials asking why Epstein’s New Mexico residence had not been searched. Investigators responded that they did not believe they then had probable cause for a warrant and did not expect useful evidence to remain inside.

That was the investigators’ assessment at the time. The correspondence also refers to a person who may have been raped at the New Mexico residence and to additional interviewing still planned. The email is not a court ruling that a ranch search could never have been authorized.

Later correspondence in EFTA00019183 records federal prosecutors in New Mexico offering to assist with a possible search warrant application. The public records identified here do not include an executed federal warrant or evidence return for Zorro Ranch.

The Anonymous Burial Allegation

A 2019 anonymous message claimed to offer information about two girls allegedly buried near the ranch. EFTA01250229 contains the communication identified by New Mexico’s State Land Office. An FBI tip record, EFTA01250231, documents its referral.

The sender’s identity, firsthand knowledge, precise location, and supporting evidence have not been publicly verified. The message sought payment. It establishes that officials received an allegation. It does not establish deaths, murders, or burials.

In February 2026, State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard urged state and federal authorities to investigate the claim. She noted that Epstein had leased adjacent state trust land and offered assistance with access. Her letter did not identify a verified burial site.

Police Investigations at the Ranch After Epstein’s Death

The Truth Commission interim report identifies later police activity. These incidents involved the ranch but had subjects separate from the Epstein trafficking inquiry:

November 11, 2019: A deputy investigated a ranch worker’s report that two men assaulted him while he was posting no trespassing signs.
May 7, 2020: A deputy responded to a report of trespassers on the property.
June 15, 2020: Deputies investigated a burglary involving a storage container. This was a criminal investigation at Zorro Ranch, but it was not the later search for evidence of Epstein’s alleged crimes.
February 16, 2026: A deputy responded to a reported threat near the property entrance.
February 24, 2026: A deputy responded to a reported security camera theft.

The commission cautioned that its list was incomplete. A full history would require the original dispatch, sheriff, state police, fire, and emergency medical records. EpsteinWiki maintains a separate police and emergency records index for those incidents.

A Separate FBI Albuquerque Inquiry in 2020

An August 2020 FBI Albuquerque report, EFTA00129048, considered information about Zorro Ranch during an inquiry involving a missing church artifact. It reviewed historical accounts, potential witnesses, and information about the property.

This belongs in a consolidated investigations article because it demonstrates a federal inquiry involving the ranch after Epstein’s death. Its subject was distinct from a criminal search for evidence of sexual abuse. The report does not establish that FBI agents searched the ranch.

Attempts to Preserve or Seize the Ranch

A July 8, 2020, New Mexico letter, EFTA00015190, asked federal authorities to pursue asset forfeiture of the ranch. The attorney general’s office said it had supplied investigative evidence and expressed its belief that Epstein and others used the property to facilitate and conceal trafficking.

That was the state’s position and request. It was not a completed forfeiture or physical search. The estate retained the property, and it was sold in 2023.

The time between the alleged events and the later search matters. Structures, contents, grounds, and records could have changed under successive ownership. A search in 2026 could test leads and document surviving evidence, but it could not reproduce the site exactly as it had been during Epstein’s ownership.

New Mexico’s 2026 Criminal Investigation and Search

On February 19, 2026, the New Mexico Department of Justice announced that Attorney General Raúl Torrez had reopened the criminal investigation into alleged illegal activity at Zorro Ranch. The agency cited information in newly released FBI files and said it would seek unredacted federal materials and preserve relevant evidence still available.

On March 9, 2026, New Mexico announced that investigators had begun searching the former Epstein property. The department identified New Mexico State Police and a Sandoval County Fire and Rescue canine team as assisting agencies. It said the current owners cooperated.

KSFR’s reporting on subsequently released records identified drones and cadaver dogs among resources used. Those records and the agency’s short announcement do not amount to a complete public search return. They do not identify every building and tract examined, every item collected, laboratory results, or a final criminal finding. A statement by the owner about what he understood investigators found is not an official investigative conclusion.

The commission’s interim report reported that the March search had not confirmed human remains. This does not verify the anonymous allegation or prove that every possible location was examined.

The Survivors’ Truth Commission

New Mexico House Resolution 1 established a special committee to investigate Zorro Ranch, allegations connected to it, and potential institutional failures. The committee, commonly called the Survivors’ Truth Commission, has authority to hold hearings, administer oaths, and issue subpoenas.

Its August 2026 interim report gathered survivor accounts, examined prior official action, and identified gaps in police and federal records. It reported evidence concerning at least five women and girls abused at the ranch between 1996 and 2012. It also identified approximately 30 other people for further evaluation. They were not all classified as confirmed survivors: some might be witnesses, facilitators, survivors, or people whose roles remain unknown.

The commission sought further information about the 2018 State Police call and other agency records. Its report was interim. Legislative subpoenas and findings are distinct from the attorney general’s criminal search and any eventual charging decision.

The Federal Records Dispute

New Mexico says its renewed investigation requires unredacted federal records to identify survivors, witnesses, and other people connected to alleged crimes. The state’s July 2026 request described a prolonged delay in obtaining them.

On August 5, 2026, New Mexico filed suit against the U.S. Department of Justice over access. The state alleges that withholding the material impedes its inquiry. Federal officials have cited legal restrictions, court orders, and protections for victim identifying information in explaining their position.

The lawsuit concerns investigative files. It is not an additional property search. Its outcome may affect which witnesses state investigators can identify and what leads they can corroborate.

Documented Chronology

March 2004: State Land Office personnel inspected an area involving machinery, improvements, and possible state trust land issues.
2006: Federal investigators obtained a survivor account involving events at the ranch.
February 8, 2007: FBI agents interviewed Brice Gordon at Zorro Ranch.
2010: New Mexico sent Epstein an initial registration notice and later determined that the cited state law did not require registration at that time. Later legal accounts say he registered voluntarily; the underlying county form and date require separate verification.
February 2016: A hang up emergency call from the ranch prompted a police response.
August 2018: State Police responded to a reported firearm theft.
Early 2019: New Mexico opened an independent Epstein investigation.
July 2019: State investigators gathered records and interviewed potential victims. New Mexico agreed to cease its independent sex trafficking inquiry and share its material with federal prosecutors.
August 2019: FBI officials discussed why the New Mexico residence had not been searched.
September 2019: Federal correspondence described the arrangement with New Mexico. The state says it transferred its investigative file.
November 2019: Federal prosecutors in New Mexico offered to help with a possible ranch warrant. An anonymous burial claim was referred to the FBI. A deputy separately investigated an assault reported by a ranch worker.
May and June 2020: Deputies investigated trespass and burglary incidents at the ranch.
July 2020: New Mexico formally urged federal authorities to pursue forfeiture of the property.
August 2020: FBI Albuquerque prepared a separate report involving the ranch and a missing artifact inquiry.
2023: The estate sold the property.
February 2026: New Mexico reopened its criminal inquiry. The House established the Survivors’ Truth Commission. Deputies responded to separate threat and camera theft reports.
March 9, 2026: New Mexico announced the start of its search of the ranch.
August 2026: The commission released an interim report, and New Mexico sued for access to federal investigative files.

This is the documented public chronology, not a claim that every agency visit, dispatch, interview, or record has been released.

Evidence Appearances and Record Index

EFTA01305252: State Land Office file containing the 2004 inspection and subsequent improvement correspondence.
EFTA00269597: FBI record of the February 8, 2007, onsite Brice Gordon interview.
EFTA00090036: Later FBI interview concerning work and access at Zorro Ranch.
EFTA00728275 and EFTA00731095: New Mexico’s differing 2010 registration notices.
EFTA00727403 and EFTA01147516: Later accounts stating that Epstein registered voluntarily with the county sheriff.
EFTA00019183: Federal correspondence concerning the 2019 arrangement and a possible warrant.
EFTA01681971: Handwritten investigative note cited by New Mexico regarding that arrangement.
EFTA00165502 and EFTA00165503: FBI discussion of the unsearched New Mexico residence.
EFTA01250229 and EFTA01250231: Anonymous burial claim and FBI tip record. Neither verifies the allegation.
EFTA01648851 and EFTA01625916: Federal search and image records concerning material recovered away from Zorro Ranch.
EFTA00019994: Survivor statement concerning abuse at the ranch.
EFTA00129048: FBI Albuquerque analysis involving the ranch in a separate artifact inquiry.
EFTA00015190: New Mexico’s July 2020 request for federal asset forfeiture.

Each document should be read for what it actually records: a witness statement, agency assessment, tip, inspection, interview, or request. A released investigative file does not automatically verify every claim contained within it.

Questions Still Open

What was the full scope of the March 2026 search? A search plan, access terms, location map, evidence inventory, and laboratory results would show what was examined and with what result.
Did investigators return for later searches or targeted examinations? Any additional operation should be identified by its date, agency, authority, and documented findings.
What was in New Mexico’s 2019 investigative file? A transfer inventory would identify the interviews, recordings, flight records, land records, and other materials sent to federal prosecutors.
Was a federal Zorro Ranch warrant application drafted? The public record establishes discussion and an offer to help. It has not established an issued or executed warrant.
What do the complete local police records show? The commission says the activity history is incomplete, including records relevant to the 2018 State Police response.
Can the anonymous burial allegation be corroborated? Its sender, underlying evidence, and claimed location remain unverified. The commission reported no confirmed human remains from the March search.
What changed at the ranch between 2019 and 2026? A dated account of alterations would help investigators and readers assess what evidence could still have survived.
What will the final state and legislative findings establish? The commission’s August report was interim, and New Mexico’s criminal inquiry remains active according to its public investigation page.

Sources

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