Epstein's Zorro Ranch in the Spotlight, Owner Speaks Out
The Owner of Zorro Ranch Speaks Out as New Mexico Lawmakers Investigate the Property
The owner of Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch, a self-identified “Trump Republican” running for office in Texas, has made public statements as New Mexico lawmakers prepare to formally investigate the property through a House-led panel.
A spokesman for Donald “Don” Huffines confirmed that the businessman and former GOP state senator purchased the property four years after Epstein’s death and had never been there prior to its auction listing. Huffines later posted on social media that the ranch has always been open to law enforcement, the proceeds of the sale of the property would benefit Epstein survivors, and the estate would be remade as a “Christian retreat, reclaiming it for Jesus.” He also appeared on The Matt Gaetz Show on One America News to explain that the “main reason” he had purchased the property was to “put light in a dark place,” with construction of a Christian retreat “already underway” at the site.
Why It Matters
Zorro Ranch has long been linked to unanswered questions surrounding Epstein’s activities in New Mexico. Lawmakers led by Democratic New Mexico state Representative Andrea Romero of Santa Fe say the investigation is aimed at addressing gaps in accountability and transparency tied to the site.
Romero was contacted via email to ask whether she and her co-sponsors were now seeking to gain access to the ranch. She was also contacted by other officials who voiced concerns over “unanswered questions” about Zorro Ranch, “what went down there, why it was not fully investigated,” and “why people were not held accountable.”
What To Know
Zorro Ranch, a sprawling property in Santa Fe County once owned by the late convicted sex offender Epstein, is now facing renewed scrutiny after the New Mexico House unanimously passed a resolution calling for an investigation into the site.
The New Mexico House “truth commission,” which is set to establish an investigatory subcommittee, will use subpoena power, public records, and testimony to produce the most comprehensive public record to date of activities at Zorro Ranch and potential government failures, supporters said.
Romero said the panel will seek survivor testimony and may propose legal reforms, with a reported budget of $2 million funded from a 2023 settlement related to institutions that failed to flag abuse at the ranch.
Epstein bought the property in 1993 from former New Mexico Governor Bruce King and owned it until his 2019 death in federal custody while facing sex trafficking charges. Several civil cases have alleged abuse occurred at the site.
State lawmakers said earlier investigations failed to fully examine the New Mexico site, and the House panel aims to create a public record, examine institutional failures, and recommend legislative changes, according to Reuters and Source New Mexico.
The commission will include two Democrats and two Republicans and is expected to coordinate with law enforcement, reflecting bipartisan support for examining allegations tied to the 7,500-plus-acre ranch.
The renewed focus comes after reporting by The Santa Fe New Mexican revealed that the ranch is now owned by the family of Texas businessman and political candidate Huffines.
Huffines’s campaign website describes him as “a successful businessman, 5th-generation Texan, and Trump Republican who will bring a private-sector mindset to the Comptroller’s office and put Texas first.”
The property, now known as San Rafael Ranch, was purchased years after Epstein’s death through a public auction, according to a spokesman for the Huffines family.
Huffines addressed the controversy in a statement posted on X, pushing back against suggestions of secrecy surrounding the property and emphasizing that its sale occurred openly and with the stated intent of benefiting Epstein’s victims.
According to Huffines, his family’s ownership of the ranch has been publicly known since at least 2024, and he said no law enforcement agency has ever requested access to the property since the purchase.
“We have always maintained an open line of communication with local authorities,” he wrote. “No law enforcement agency has ever approached me to request access, and I have always said unequivocally that any such request would be met with immediate access and full cooperation.”
What People Are Saying
Huffines wrote in a post on X: “In 2023, four years after Epstein’s death, San Rafael Ranch had been listed on the open market for years and was scheduled for public auction. At the time of the sale, it was marketed that the proceeds would go to the victims. It has since been confirmed by the estate’s attorneys that proceeds from the sale benefited the victims.”
He added: “By 2024, my family’s ownership was public and had been posted on social media. We have always maintained an open line of communication with local authorities. No law enforcement agency has ever approached me to request access, and I have always said unequivocally that any such request would be met with immediate access and full cooperation. This is what desperate political opponents do: last-minute lies and dirty tricks.”
A spokesman for the Huffines family, Allen Blakemore, told [SOURCE] in an emailed statement: “Four years after Mr Epstein’s death, the Huffines family purchased property in New Mexico listed at public auction whose proceeds benefited his victims. Prior to the auction listing, they had never visited the property. The owners have never been approached by local, state, or federal law enforcement requesting access to the San Rafael Ranch. If, they do, of course they will be granted full and complete cooperation.”
Democratic U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury of New Mexico said in a video posted on social media: “There are a lot of unanswered questions about Zorro Ranch in New Mexico, what went down there, why it was not fully investigated, why people were not held accountable, and frankly, as a New Mexican, to anyone who was hurt there, my heart goes out to you.”
What Happens Next
The newly enacted New Mexico House resolution clears the way for further review of records and testimony related to the ranch, with lawmakers signaling that additional findings could emerge as the investigation moves forward.
The four-member panel named by House Speaker Javier Martínez, comprising Representatives Andrea Romero, Marianna Anaya, Andrea Reeb, and Bill Hall, will post information publicly, with an interim report due by July 31 and a final report by December 31.
Update, 02/17/26, 11:45 a.m. ET. This article was updated with a full statement from a spokesman for the Huffines family.
Update, 02/18/26, 03:10 a.m. ET. This article was updated with comments from Don Huffines on One America News.
