Town file
El Rancho, New Mexico
El Rancho, New Mexico (Santa Fe County, New Mexico) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 748, "Bloody Triple Murder Madness" (30 October 2026). The episode is set in El Rancho, a small place in north central New Mexico in Santa Fe County, about 25 minutes from Santa Fe, with a population of 1342.
- Town
- El Rancho
- County
- Santa Fe County
- State
- New Mexico
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 748
- Approximate location
- 35.893, -106.086
Murder league: part of the Chimayo area number 21 by murders, number 61 by episodes (Chimayo area). By murders. By episodes.
Episode 748 / 30 October 2026 / 76 min / express
Bloody Triple Murder Madness
"James says this is El Rancho, New Mexico, in north central New Mexico, 25 minutes from Santa Fe, in Santa Fe County" about 0:04:13
The case: Murders of Lloyd Ortiz, Dixie Ortiz and Steven Ortiz (June 19, 2011). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2026
- Population
- 1342
- Median household income
- about 20,000 under the national average
- Median home value
- $240,100
History, in brief
- The area's history began in the 1300s, when pueblos moved from the mountains down into the river valleys to farm with local streams and irrigation. about 0:05:44
- The area was first part of Spanish New Mexico, then Mexican territory, then part of the US after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. about 0:06:05
- There was a Pueblo Revolt in 1680, during which many northern pueblos were abandoned and later resettled. about 0:06:13
- A smallpox epidemic wiped out many people. about 0:06:34
- After World War II the Santa Fe metro area grew, helped by nearby Los Alamos, the site of the Manhattan Project. about 0:06:39
The reviews read out
5 stars
"A great place to live other than the high rent; minimum wage covers neither; you are poor or rich with nothing in between."about 0:07:07
5 stars
"More crystals, repeated: the whole review is about crystals, like Sedona."about 0:07:32
2 stars
"A rambling complaint about smoking products laced with nanometals and pesticides such as glyphosate, and what is in the water."about 0:08:01
Things to do
Santa Fe Spring Festival
festival / spring / 3 billed acts
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Chimayo, New Mexico11 miles
- Tijeras, New Mexico58 miles
- Bernardo, New Mexico110 miles
- Trinidad, Colorado125 miles
- Flora Vista, New Mexico128 miles
- Farmington, New Mexico131 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.