By Independent News Roundup
A new investigation by 60 Minutes Australia has cast renewed light on one of the most disturbing and least-examined locations tied to Jeffrey Epstein—his remote Zorro Ranch property in New Mexico.
The report raises serious questions not only about the alleged crimes committed there, but also about what authorities knew—and why critical leads may not have been pursued.
“Some of the most heinous things that anyone could imagine.”
Zorro Ranch, located in the isolated terrain of Santa Fe County, is described as both vast and deeply secluded—an environment that survivors say made escape nearly impossible.
“Miles and miles of just mountains and dirt… no one could hear you.”
According to testimony presented in the program, the property functioned as one of Epstein’s key operational sites, alongside locations in New York, Palm Beach, Paris, and his private island.
Among those speaking out is survivor Shantae Davies, who described the ranch as the most unsettling of all the locations she was taken to.
“It felt like a mouse trapped in a cage.”
The investigation outlines a pattern of alleged abuse involving minors and young women, consistent with previous findings in Epstein-related cases.
Survivor testimony details coercion, manipulation, and repeated sexual assault.
“What did that really mean? … Rape.”
However, the program goes further—highlighting more extreme allegations tied specifically to the ranch.
These include claims of a “designer baby” project, allegations of coerced pregnancies and medical procedures, and reports of potential human trafficking operations conducted from the site.
Some accounts suggest conversations about creating a “perfect gene pool”, raising concerns about experimental or unethical reproductive practices.
One of the most serious revelations involves an email tip allegedly received by the FBI in 2019.
The message claimed that two young women had died at the ranch and were buried nearby.
“Two foreign girls were buried… both died by strangulation.”
According to the report, this tip may never have been fully investigated.
This has triggered significant concern among local officials and lawmakers.
“When there’s a tip about dead bodies, you have to take it seriously.”
A central focus of the investigation is the apparent lack of federal action regarding the New Mexico property.
While Epstein’s other residences were searched or raided, Zorro Ranch was not.
Former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas described the situation as deeply troubling.
“It’s alarming and severely unprofessional.”
State authorities had reportedly been building a case in 2019 before being asked by federal agencies to stand down.
The expectation was that federal investigators would take over.
Instead, according to the report, key leads were not pursued.
“The FBI claimed to take over… only to secretly shut it down.”
In response to the emerging information, New Mexico officials have initiated new efforts to examine the ranch.
These include full imaging of the 7,500-acre property, technical analysis of potential burial sites, and recovery of documents and physical evidence left behind.
State Representative Andrea Romero is leading a newly formed truth commission aimed at uncovering the full extent of what occurred.
“We are deeply committed to turning the Epstein files into Epstein trials.”
The investigation also broadens the scope of alleged victims.
While Epstein’s crimes have largely been associated with young women and girls, new testimony includes claims involving male victims.
One account describes a man allegedly drugged and witnessing multiple assaults at the ranch.
“Multiple young men were raped… after he was drugged.”
This suggests a wider pattern of abuse than previously understood.
The report highlights the psychological control Epstein exerted over victims.
Shantae Davies described a system where victims were both rewarded and controlled, creating confusion and dependency.
“All these women praised him… I thought I must be the problem.”
Her eventual escape came only after discovering her younger sister had also been targeted.
Even then, Epstein allegedly attempted to maintain control through promises of money and opportunity.
“If you think you’ll get anywhere without me, you are very wrong.”
Perhaps the most striking theme of the investigation is the sense that a critical opportunity for accountability may have been lost.
Despite mounting evidence, survivor testimony, and alleged leads, the ranch remained unsearched during key moments of the federal investigation.
“How could this never have been even searched?”
With Epstein’s death in 2019, many avenues of inquiry were effectively closed—leaving unanswered questions and unresolved allegations.
The 60 Minutes investigation into Zorro Ranch paints a deeply disturbing picture of alleged abuse, secrecy, and institutional failure.
At its core are two unresolved issues: the full extent of crimes that may have occurred at the ranch, and the failure of authorities to investigate critical leads in real time.
As new efforts in New Mexico attempt to uncover the truth, the case remains one of the most troubling examples of how power, influence, and systemic gaps can intersect.
For survivors, the pursuit of accountability continues.
And for investigators, the question remains:
What was missed—and why?
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