Persons of Interest

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POI-001 | Historical Figure | Status: Missing

Sheriff Tomas Ortega served the Mesilla region during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and remains one of the most frequently referenced individuals within The Mesilla Files archive. Known for his calm demeanor, sharp instincts, and deep knowledge of the desert, Ortega investigated everything from outlaw activity and missing persons to unexplained reports that others dismissed as rumor and superstition.

Over the years, Ortega's journals reportedly documented strange symbols, forgotten trails, mysterious disappearances, and several encounters with individuals connected to ongoing TMF investigations, including Billy the Kid and Captain Voss. Many of his records have never been recovered.

In 1936, Ortega vanished under circumstances that remain unexplained. No confirmed trace of him was ever found.

Today, researchers continue to study the surviving Ortega documents, believing they may contain clues connecting multiple mysteries scattered throughout the Old Desert. Many consider him one of the earliest investigators of what would later become known as the Mesilla Veil phenomenon.

Notable Associations: Billy the Kid, Captain Voss, The Mesilla Veil, Symbols in the Sand, The Other Mesilla

Known Quote:

"Some stories are only stories because nobody believes the truth."

POI-002 | Explorer | Researcher | Status: Unknown

Captain Voss is one of the most important and mysterious figures within The Mesilla Files archive. Although references to him appear throughout numerous reports, journals, maps, and witness statements, very little verified information about his life has ever been confirmed.

Most records describe Voss as a disciplined explorer, investigator, and former military officer who spent decades traveling the deserts, mountains, and forgotten regions of the American Southwest in search of unusual locations, lost artifacts, and unexplained phenomena. His name appears in connection with several major TMF investigations, including the Red Tape Jar, the Symbols in the Sand, the Lost Trains of the Old Desert, and early reports concerning the Mesilla Veil.

Unlike many researchers of his era, Voss maintained detailed field notes and maps, many of which remain scattered throughout the archive. These documents often contain observations that were ignored or dismissed by others at the time.

At some point, Voss disappeared from the historical record. Whether he retired, vanished, or discovered something that changed the course of his life remains unknown.

Today, researchers consider Captain Voss one of the foundational figures of The Mesilla Files and believe many of the answers to the archive's greatest mysteries may still be hidden within his lost reports.

Notable Associations: Sheriff Tomas Ortega, TOX, The Red Tape Jar, The Mesilla Veil, The Lost Trains, Symbols in the Sand

Known Quote:

"The object itself is rarely the mystery. The mystery is always the people connected to it."

POI-003 | Source | Archivist | Status: Unknown

Few individuals are more important—or more mysterious—than the person known only as TOX.

Over many years, TOX assembled an extraordinary collection of documents, photographs, maps, reports, journals, recordings, artifacts, and unexplained items that would eventually become known as The Mesilla Files Archive. The true identity of TOX remains unknown. No verified photograph has ever been discovered, and no official records have confirmed who TOX was or where the collection originated.

What is known is that TOX possessed an unusual interest in forgotten history, unsolved mysteries, lost expeditions, strange symbols, unexplained events, and stories that had been dismissed or overlooked by others. Many of the archive's most significant discoveries—including the Red Tape Jar, Captain Voss field reports, and numerous research files—were preserved because of TOX's efforts.

Some researchers believe TOX was a collector.

Others believe he was an investigator.

A few suspect he may have been part of a much larger organization operating behind the scenes.

Before disappearing from public view, TOX left behind thousands of pages of material along with a simple instruction:

"Follow the evidence."

Today, Dylan and Spencer continue examining the archive, attempting to separate fact from fiction while uncovering the stories TOX spent a lifetime preserving.

Classification: Primary Source

Known Associations: Captain Voss, Sheriff Ortega, TRC Research Center, The Red Tape Jar, The Mesilla Veil, The Old Desert Archive

Known Quote:

"The truth is rarely hidden. Most people simply stop looking."

Status: Deceased

For more than three decades, Rafael "Rafe" Montoya stood behind the bar at El Patio in Mesilla, serving drinks, listening to stories, and quietly gathering information.

Rafe never claimed to be a researcher.

He never wrote reports.

He never published books.

Yet many of the people who did spent countless hours sitting at his bar.

Lawmen, ranchers, professors, travelers, politicians, journalists, treasure hunters, and investigators all eventually found themselves talking to Rafe.

And Rafe listened.

What made him unusual was not that he knew everyone's business.

It was that he remembered it.

Years later he could recall a conversation, a name, a location, or a detail that everyone else had forgotten.

Many researchers now believe a surprising amount of information associated with The Mesilla Files first passed through El Patio and Rafael Montoya before appearing in journals, reports, articles, and archive records.

Rafe was known to sell information, though he often joked that he was selling stories, lies, and occasionally the truth.

Whether he was joking remains uncertain.

Unlike most investigators, Rafe rarely offered theories. He was more interested in people than mysteries. His view was simple:

"The facts ain't the problem. The problem is figuring out what they mean."

Despite his skepticism, Rafe privately admitted that many of the strange events connected to Mesilla were real. What frightened him was not whether they happened—but why.

Among all the names connected to The Mesilla Files, Rafe expressed the greatest concern about Captain Elias Voss, once describing him as:

"The only man I've ever met who knows more than he's willing to say."

Many of Rafe's private recordings were reportedly hidden throughout El Patio before his death, though only a small number have been recovered.

Researchers continue searching for additional recordings.

Bartender, El Patio Bar, Mesilla

Known Associations: Theodore Ray Mercer, Captain Elias Voss, Sheriff Ortega, Father Serrano, The Jackson Family, El Patio Bar

Quotes: 

"The stories are free. The truth costs extra."

"If you're looking for answers, you're probably asking the wrong questions."

"People talk when they're drinking. The trick is remembering what they said after 

POI-005 | Historian | Research Specialist | Status: Active

Elena Vargas is a researcher, historian, and document specialist whose work has become essential to many investigations within The Mesilla Files archive. Raised in southern New Mexico, Elena developed an early fascination with local history, forgotten settlements, and the stories hidden within old journals, government records, church archives, and family collections.

Known for her ability to uncover overlooked details, Elena has helped identify connections between numerous TMF investigations, including the Mesilla Veil, the Symbols in the Sand, and several reports linked to Sheriff Tomas Ortega and Captain Voss. Her expertise in historical documents and translation has proven invaluable when examining damaged records, coded messages, and handwritten journals recovered from the archive.

Unlike many researchers, Elena believes that legends often contain fragments of truth hidden beneath generations of retelling. This philosophy has led her to pursue leads that others dismissed, resulting in several important discoveries.

Today, Elena continues to assist ongoing investigations while searching for records that may explain some of the archive's oldest mysteries.

Notable Associations: Captain Voss, Sheriff Tomas Ortega, TOX, The Mesilla Veil, The Red Tape Jar, TRC Research Center

Known Quote:

"History rarely disappears. It simply waits for someone willing to look a little deeper."

POI-006 | Informant | Keeper of Ancient Knowledge | Status: Unknown

Seraphina is one of the most enigmatic figures associated with The Mesilla Files archive. Little is known about her origins, though multiple communications place her on the Greek island of Hydra, where she reportedly maintains access to a private collection of ancient manuscripts, maps, journals, and historical records.

Over the years, Seraphina has provided information connected to several major investigations, including the Mesilla Veil, Captain Voss, and a number of unexplained symbols that appear throughout the archive. While many of her claims cannot be independently verified, researchers have noted that information supplied by Seraphina has repeatedly proven accurate.

Her extensive knowledge of ancient civilizations, forgotten languages, and obscure historical traditions has led some to believe she possesses access to sources unavailable to modern scholars. Others suspect she may be connected to a network of researchers operating across multiple countries.

Despite numerous attempts to learn more about her, Seraphina's true identity, background, and motivations remain unknown.

Whether historian, collector, researcher, or something else entirely, Seraphina continues to be one of the archive's most trusted—and mysterious—sources.

Notable Associations: Captain Voss, TOX, Elena Vargas, The Mesilla Veil, Ancient Manuscripts, Hydra, Greece

Known Quote:

"The past is not gone. It is simply waiting for those who can still listen."

POI-007 | Priest | Historian | Status: Deceased

Father Miguel Serrano served the Mesilla region during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and was widely respected for his knowledge of local history, frontier settlements, and the cultural traditions of the Southwest. As pastor of a small church near Mesilla, he spent decades preserving journals, church records, personal letters, and historical accounts that might otherwise have been lost.

Within The Mesilla Files archive, Father Serrano is frequently referenced as a trusted observer of unusual events occurring throughout the Old Desert. His personal journals contain reports of unexplained symbols, strange lights, mysterious travelers, and locations that appeared repeatedly in stories passed down through generations of local families.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Father Serrano believed that history and legend were often connected. He carefully documented stories others dismissed, believing that even the most unlikely accounts might contain fragments of truth.

Several surviving entries suggest that Serrano maintained correspondence with Sheriff Tomas Ortega and may have possessed knowledge concerning early reports of what later became known as the Mesilla Veil.

Today, his journals remain among the most valuable historical resources within the archive.

Notable Associations: Sheriff Tomas Ortega, Captain Voss, The Mesilla Veil, Symbols in the Sand, The Other Mesilla, Church Archives

Known Quote:

"The desert remembers what men choose to forget."

POI-008 | Researcher | Surveyor | Status: Deceased

Howard H. Hunter was a researcher, field surveyor, and amateur historian whose name appears throughout numerous TMF reports dating from the 1940s through the 1960s. Known for his methodical approach and meticulous record-keeping, Hunter spent years documenting unusual locations, abandoned settlements, forgotten trails, and unexplained reports throughout southern New Mexico and the surrounding Old Desert.

Unlike many investigators of his era, Hunter approached every mystery with skepticism. His journals reveal a man determined to separate fact from folklore, often revisiting locations multiple times to verify witness accounts and historical records. Yet despite his scientific outlook, several of Hunter's reports describe events and discoveries he could not explain.

Among his most significant contributions are a series of field notes connected to strange symbols, unexplained lights, and locations associated with the Mesilla Veil. Many of these records remain incomplete, leading some researchers to believe Hunter may have uncovered information he chose not to publish.

Today, Howard Hunter's journals, maps, and research notes remain valuable resources within the TMF archive and continue to influence modern investigations.

Notable Associations: Captain Voss, Sheriff Tomas Ortega, TRC Research Center, The Mesilla Veil, Symbols in the Sand, Lost Trains of the Old Desert

Known Quote:

"The evidence does not care what we believe. Our job is to follow it wherever it leads."

POI-009 | Investigator | Analyst | Research Writer | Status: Active

T. J. Clayton is an investigator, researcher, and field analyst whose reports have become an important part of modern TMF investigations. Known for his methodical approach and attention to detail, Clayton specializes in connecting seemingly unrelated documents, witness statements, historical records, and field observations into coherent investigative theories.

With a background in historical research and case analysis, Clayton has contributed extensively to studies involving the Mesilla Veil, the Lost Trains of the Old Desert, the Symbols in the Sand, and numerous archive recovery projects. His reports are widely respected for their thorough documentation and willingness to examine evidence from multiple perspectives.

Unlike some researchers who focus on legends or folklore, Clayton is primarily interested in facts, timelines, and verifiable connections. Yet even he has encountered mysteries that resist conventional explanation.

Today, Clayton continues to assist ongoing investigations while searching for new evidence hidden within the expanding TMF archive.

Notable Associations: Dylan Carrillo, Spencer Clifton, Elena Vargas, TRC Research Center, The Mesilla Veil, Captain Voss Archive

Known Quote:

"Facts don't solve mysteries. People do."

POI-010 | Filmmaker | Publisher | Collector | Status: Deceased

L. Jackson was a filmmaker, publisher, and entrepreneur whose name appears throughout numerous entertainment properties connected to The Mesilla Files archive. Best known as the founder of L. Jackson Pictures and an early supporter of Desert Sun Comics, Jackson spent decades producing films, publishing stories, and collecting unusual historical records from across the American Southwest.

To the public, Jackson was viewed as a creative businessman with a fascination for western adventures, desert legends, and unexplained mysteries. However, documents discovered within the archive suggest his interests extended far beyond entertainment.

Several reports indicate that Jackson actively acquired maps, journals, photographs, and artifacts connected to forgotten expeditions, lost settlements, and unexplained events throughout the Old Desert. Researchers have noted that many of his films and publications appear to contain references to actual locations, symbols, and individuals that later surfaced in independent investigations.

Whether these connections were intentional or coincidental remains unknown.

Today, many researchers believe Jackson used stories, films, and comic books to preserve information that might otherwise have been forgotten, disguising historical clues as entertainment.

Notable Associations: B. Jackson, Captain Voss, Desert Sun Comics, L. Jackson Pictures, The Lost Trains of the Old Desert, The Mesilla Veil

Known Quote:

"People will ignore a report. They'll remember a story."

POI-011 | Publisher | Editor | Archivist | Status: Deceased

B. Jackson was a publisher, editor, and collector whose work helped preserve many of the stories, legends, and historical records that would later become part of The Mesilla Files archive. Working closely with L. Jackson, he played a significant role in the development of Desert Sun Comics, numerous historical publications, and a variety of projects focused on the mysteries of the American Southwest.

While L. Jackson was often the public face of their ventures, B. Jackson preferred working behind the scenes. He spent years collecting rare books, journals, maps, photographs, and firsthand accounts connected to forgotten expeditions, abandoned settlements, and unexplained events throughout the Old Desert.

Archive records suggest that B. Jackson believed stories served a greater purpose than entertainment. He often argued that legends, comic books, films, and adventure tales could preserve important information long after official records had disappeared.

Many researchers believe that clues hidden throughout Desert Sun Comics and other Jackson publications may have been intentionally placed there to preserve knowledge that was considered too unusual, controversial, or easily forgotten.

Today, B. Jackson's collected records continue to provide valuable leads for ongoing investigations throughout the TMF archive.

Notable Associations: L. Jackson, Desert Sun Comics, Captain Voss, Howard H. Hunter, The Lost Trains of the Old Desert, The Mesilla Veil

Known Quote:

"A report may gather dust on a shelf. A good story can survive for generations."

Status: Active

Few people know Jeremiah "Jeb" Crow.

Even fewer know where he lives.

For decades, Jeb has wandered the deserts of southern New Mexico, western Texas, Arizona, and northern Mexico, avoiding towns whenever possible and maintaining only limited contact with the outside world.

Despite his reputation as a desert hermit, Jeb has become one of the most important and mysterious figures connected to The Mesilla Files.

Numerous reports suggest that Captain Elias Voss has repeatedly provided Crow with maps, journals, photographs, field sketches, and other materials allegedly connected to the Old Desert and what some documents describe as the "Other World." Why Voss trusts Crow remains unknown.

Over the years, Jeb has occasionally sold unusual documents to collectors and researchers. Other materials have mysteriously appeared in abandoned buildings, mine shafts, campsites, and remote desert locations where they were later discovered and added to the archive.

Crow rarely claims to understand the materials he finds. His role appears to be that of a courier, caretaker, or messenger rather than an investigator.

Several researchers believe some of the most important discoveries within the archive can ultimately be traced back to Jeremiah Crow.

When asked about Captain Voss, Crow reportedly replied:

"People think Voss gives me things. That's not exactly true. Sometimes I just wake up and they're there."

Whether Crow is merely a witness to the mystery—or an active participant—remains an open question.

Notable Associations: Captain Elias Voss, The Old Desert, The Enclosure, The Mesilla Files Archive

Quote:

"The desert keeps secrets. Voss just knows where they're buried."