I like the idea that the BA was a type of "secret masonic group" as simon baker says.
The Mentalist likes to emulate real life in many ways that i think a lot of us dont pick up on.
An illuminati type cult inside law enforcemnent and goverment is no conspiracy theory.
These cults are highly documented and researched and are topics for other tv shows as well (true detective).

The Mentalist also depicts scientology with the cult Visualize.
For christ sake can a fan get a Visialize episode up in here or what?!
The Fbi had many ties to the BA and was always infiltrating cbi during key situations.
Stealing Lorelie, stealing cases, olaughlin, reede smith, slowing down jane in the "red john" episode etc.
The fbi also was about to take over Visualize and arrest Styles after a break in a 30 year old case !
What evidence came about? Who is the evidence is the better question.
Visialize has its own undercover cops just like the BA does.
They also have political power with Gabe Nylands Loutennant Governor muscle.

Red John being in the BA and shit the leader of the BA makes no sense.
It explains how he was always one step ahead but thats it.
Red John was a serial killer who killed a distinct type of female killing her in a speciallly detailed way.
It was always females too except one guy who got in the way. Carter Peak.

It started in the late 90's but why does a leader of the illuminati-type cult
moonlight as a serial killer in his "free time" from being a mafia don and a sheriff?
Red John killed a bunch of specific women from 1998 to 2003.
Jane called him names and Red John Killed his family in 2003.
Then Red John killed another unamed female in 2005-2006
THEN IN 2007 Red John breaks code for the first time ever and
rapes Miranda Martins and lets her die of heat exhaustion!
A serial killer who NEVER raped a single victim rapes Miranda Martins.
Was Red John ever Roy? Sounds like something Dumar Tanner would do.

Then kills Jared wrenfrow and hooker to quiet them.
Red John then killed emma Plasket and let dumar get caught.
Then he kills carter peaks doctor by shooting him in the head and agent hicks for investigating Towlin Morning, Peaks doctor.
He has Rebecca Anderson who didnt seem like BA kill Bosco and the team. THEN USES BA AND REEDE SMITH TO GET ACCESS CODES TO CBI TO KILL THE SECRETARY WHO DIDNT TALK AND WHO ALSO HAD THE SAME SECURITY CODES!!
WHY US THE BA ? AND FBI REEDE SMITH?
-Then Red John Kills tv host with Kristina Freye for calling him a beast. 2010
-Dylan and Ruth the copycats in 2010.
In 2011 red john kills Panzer.
In 2012 he kills that morgue guy and put him in Harkers closet.

-"kills" loreLIE Martins
-Then he kills Janes favorite memory Eileen Turner.
-Janes psychiatrist Sophie Miller
THEN Brett Partridge, Kira Tinsley WERE LEFT ALIVE LONG ENOUGH TO TALK.
-Then he blows up Brett Styles and Haffner.

_My point is that looking at the victim timeline we may have 2 RED JOHNS.
Just look at that list and see that a serial killer likes to do a specific type of killing. The real red john killed all those women in 1998-2003 because they were all his type except Janes wife and child who were a punishment.
There are many victims on that timeline that are done by someone with different motives and styles.
-miranda martins? Brett partridge, kira tinslet, styles, and haffner all seem fishy. Lorelie as well and maybe a few others.
Maybe heller is not lying and killed off someone who used the name "red john" but the real red john is still alive.
Or maybe not

I just got through re-watching the "Red John" episode and would like to make some comments:

1.  The episode itself is very well done.  I know everyone wants answers to "who, what, when, why, and how" but Patrick doesn't and says so.  All the fluff that people on this and other websites are arguing about DOESN'T MATTER.  All the trivia is not as important as we think.  What is important is that Patrick found/killed Red John and got his revenge. 

2.  No one was going to be completely satisfied with the final suspect.  I understand those who wanted it to be Stiles, Partridge, Hafner, etc.  But someone had to be Red John.  It was NEVER going to satisfy everyone.

3.  I thought the final scenes were well done.  Patrick had a chance to NOT kill Red John but had to to be true to his mission in life.  It could not have happened any other way.

4.  The final scene with Patrick running was especially moving.  He is running away from his past (mother and young daughter holding hands), his present (watching his daughter slide down the slide), and his future (old man/woman holding hands). 

I, as may of you, did not envision this as Red John's end.  However, if you watch the episode objectively, the ending is true and terrific.  Everyone thought that the CBI and the FBI were enemies.  The subsequent episodes have shown this not to be the case. 

I, for one, do not hope the series gets cancelled.  I became a Mentalist fan about two years ago and have followed it religiously ever since.  It is a good, entertaining show and I hope it goes on.

Due to fucking wrestlemania, there will be no episode of the mentalist this sunday on CBS.