New Mexico authorities have launched an investigation into allegations that two foreign girls may have been buried near the remote Zorro Ranch owned by the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The claims emerged from newly released documents by the United States Department of Justice. According to a report by Reuters published on February 18, 2026, the allegations are contained in a redacted 2019 email referencing possible crimes at Epstein’s ranch, located about 30 miles (48 km) south of Santa Fe.
State Requests Unredacted Email
Lauren Rodriguez, spokesperson for New Mexico’s Department of Justice, confirmed that the state has formally requested an unredacted copy of the 2019 email from federal authorities. She stated that the department is actively investigating the allegation and conducting a broader review in light of the latest document release.
The FBI declined to comment, while the U.S. Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for clarification.
Details of the Allegation
The redacted email was reportedly sent a few months after Epstein’s death in 2019 to Eddy Aragon, a New Mexico radio show host who had discussed Zorro Ranch on his program. The sender, claiming to be a former ranch employee, allegedly demanded one bitcoin in exchange for videos said to show Epstein engaging in sexual acts with minors.
The email further claimed that two foreign girls had been buried “somewhere in the hills outside the Zorro” and alleged they died “by strangulation during rough, fetish sex.”
Aragon told Reuters he believed the email appeared legitimate and immediately forwarded it to the FBI. He said he neither paid the requested bitcoin nor had further contact with the sender.
A 2021 FBI report included in the latest document release confirms that Aragon visited an FBI office to report the email, which referenced alleged abuse videos and information about burial locations in exchange for cryptocurrency. However, a review of other disclosed documents did not reveal additional references confirming the burial claims or explaining the investigators’ conclusions.
Legislative Pressure and Land Leases
The investigation comes amid renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s activities in New Mexico. The state legislature has launched a comprehensive inquiry into accusations that Epstein sexually abused girls and women at Zorro Ranch over more than two decades.
New Mexico State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard said her office identified the redacted email during a review of the latest file release. In a February 10 letter and public statement, she called on federal and state authorities to fully investigate alleged criminal conduct at the ranch and on adjacent state lands.
Epstein had leased approximately 1,243 acres (503 hectares) of state land surrounding the ranch beginning in 1993. The leases were canceled in September 2019 after officials determined the land was not being used for ranching or agriculture but primarily as a privacy buffer.
Continuing Scrutiny After Epstein’s Death
Jeffrey Epstein died in a New York jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was officially ruled a suicide. Despite this, investigations and document releases continue to generate new allegations and renewed calls for accountability.
The New Mexico Department of Justice has stated that its investigation remains active. At this stage, the burial allegations remain unproven, and authorities have not announced any physical evidence confirming the claims.
