Overview
- Public records show Don Huffines bought the 7,600–8,000-acre ranch in 2023 via San Rafael Ranch, LLC, later renaming it Rancho de San Rafael, with his wife listed as a trustee and his son as an LLC manager.
- After Huffines contested the 2023 assessment, Santa Fe County reduced the property's valuation from $21.1 million to $13.4 million.
- Justice Department files and FBI interviews tie the site to allegations of child trafficking and abuse, and a DOJ-filed email alleging buried victims has led New Mexico officials to renew calls for searches using radar and cadaver dogs.
- Huffines’ attorney says the family purchased the property at public auction and that proceeds benefited victims, while an attorney for Epstein’s estate says the sale funds were used for estate administration and creditors.
- Texas Republicans and local activists are criticizing the secretive purchase and pressing for transparency as Huffines campaigns on accountability in a March 3 GOP primary.