New Mexico authorities have reopened a criminal investigation into allegations that two foreign girls were buried on Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch property, following the release of a previously sealed email. The email, sent in 2019, claims the victims were strangled during “violent sexual acts” on Epstein’s orders and buried somewhere on the remote ranch land.
The announcement by New Mexico’s Department of Justice comes after a massive document dump related to Epstein. Over 3.5 million pages of files, released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, have triggered global reviews of the financier’s network and led to several resignations. The state had originally closed its probe in 2019 but has now requested an unredacted copy of the key email and is actively re-examining the allegation.
The email was addressed to Eddy Aragon, a New Mexico radio host, from an individual claiming to be a former Zorro Ranch employee. According to Reuters, the message included burial coordinates and offered seven abuse videos in exchange for one bitcoin. Aragon told authorities he believed the email was credible and forwarded it to the FBI. A 2021 FBI report, now part of the public record, documented his visit to report the extortion attempt and the grave location claim.
Zorro Ranch, located near the town of Stanley, was purchased by Epstein in 1993. The isolated compound featured a hilltop mansion, a private airstrip, and extensive outbuildings. Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal trafficking charges, was known to host influential figures at the property.
State prosecutors stated the renewed review will focus on preserving any potential evidence and pursuing facts wherever they lead, while assessing jurisdictional boundaries. The investigation highlights the ongoing fallout from the Epstein case, as law enforcement agencies worldwide scrutinize newly available evidence for leads on unsolved crimes linked to his trafficking ring.
