As I’ve previously reported, Epstein’s Zorro Ranch was secretly purchased by the Texas Huffines family. Father Don Huffines is currently the MAGA and DOGE-loving acting comptroller of that state as well as the November candidate for that office. Although Huffines is a real estate developer, his family bought the multi-million dollar property without visiting it. They began construction on the ranch without the proper permit(s), according to local officials.
What they did do is have an exorcism. Devin Huffines, Don’s son, said they flew in from Ohio a “Latin Mass priest” who exorcised “every bit of the property.” The process took three days, he said.
Devin Huffines was interviewed in a glowing Newsmax segment by “crime reporter” Jason Mattera.
The Newsmax segment gushed over the exorcism and the family’s plan to turn the ranch into a Christian retreat. Mattera called it a “redemptive element to the ranch that no one saw coming.” Co-host Sharla McBride said, “I love what they’re doing.”
Not surprisingly, the glowing Newsmax report left out some important, less-flattering details.
Besides omitting the alleged missing construction permit, the report failed to mention that the family repeatedly removed the religious commemorations for the victims, known as descansos, just outside the entrance to the ranch. That happens to be a crime in New Mexico.
Also, while going to great lengths to deal with the evil spirits that may have been hanging around, the family did nothing to make sure there was no evidence still there. According to Mattera, the family was told investigations into the ranch ended before their 2023 purchase. That is true, but only because New Mexico “stood down” its investigation and turned it over to the feds who seem to have done nothing further with it.
Since then, the Zorro ranch was mentioned more than 13,000 times in the recently released Epstein files. A New Mexico “Truth Commission” was proposed in October, 2025 and the state criminal investigation was re-opened in February, 2026.
The Huffines seem to have started their construction right around that same time. The Santa Fe New Mexican reported on February 25, 2026 that officials had “ordered a pause” on construction at the ranch “alleging the new owners failed to obtain the required permits.” The article also noted that about a week earlier, Don Huffines said on OANN, “The plan all along is to make this property into a Christian retreat — as a matter of fact, it’s under construction today.”
Yet, the same article noted that none of the required paperwork, including a required permit to operate a religious retreat, had been submitted to the county.
It’s entirely possible the Huffines family really had no idea the property had never been fully and properly investigated. There is no reason to disbelieve Devin Huffines’ claim that he let authorities thoroughly search the place without a warrant and that “the search came up empty.”
But the family has already shown their disrespect for victims’ memorials, began changes to the property without a permit, claimed a religious retreat was in the works before having filed any necessary paperwork, and seemed oddly unconcerned about making absolutely sure they were not disturbing any important evidence.
Still, they very much want us all to believe the ranch has been thoroughly exorcised of its evil spirits.
