This post contains spoilers for people who haven't seen the finale of season 5 so if you haven't stop reading here.





Alright, well in the finale we have finally learned the names of the 7 "real" Red John suspects.
The list is; 
Brett Stiles
Gale Bertram
Brett Partidge 
Ray Haffner 
Robert Kirkland 
Reede Smith 
Thomas McAllister 


It is quite obvious that Brett Stiles cannot be Red John, as we learned in the episode The Red Barn Brett Stiles is to old to be Red John.

Gale Bertram is also a very unlikely choice for Red John because he just isn't clever enough, he also isn't a very good "mind" reader as is demonstrated by his poker skills.

Brett Patridge is the first potential Red John suspect but for some reason he just doesn't seem to have the personality to be Red John, he doesn't really care about his appearance a lot, as is shown with his messy hair in the hotel. Furthermore he is also very humble towards Patrick Jane and even allows him to insult him as is seen in the pilot and since RJ did not immediately strike back at PJ for doing so it is again very unlikely that Patridge is RJ.

Ray Haffner is also a very good posibility for being RJ, as we learn in The Red Barn episode he is in fact a member of visualize and it is pretty likely that he was even at the Smiley barn at the same time as RJ was. He also clearly has feeling for Lisbon which explains why RJ has never made a move to hurt her, because Lisbon is easily Jane's weakness so it is very strange that he has left her alone. One thing however that sais that Ray Haffner is not RJ is that he admitted to "being unable to handle Jane", this is something that RJ would never do, unless Haffner wanted Jane's old team to come back so that the RJ vs PJ game would stay the same, so in my opinion Haffner is probably my nr1 suspect at this moment.

Then we have Robert Kirkland, our mysterious Homeland Security agent. For the entire season, the producers have tried us to believe that Kirkland is RJ. Firstly Homeland Security would have no reason to investigate the RJ case because it isn't a threat to national safety, unless ofcourse Homeland has come to suspect that RJ is actually a part of visualize and they want to get rid of visualize. I mean a big powerful cult where people are being brainwashed could be seen as a threat. So in my opinion Kirkland is trying to catch RJ himself and he probably has even tried doing so by going undercover, this is probably why he asked Lennon if he had recognized him because he clearly recognized Lennon. He also knew that Lennon didn't know anything about RJ because he didn't ask Lennon a single question about him.

Then we have Reede Smith, a very very unlikely person to end up on the list, since we can assume that we saw RJ himself in the season 2 finale it is clear that Smith is too fat to be RJ, unless he suddenly gained a lot of weight, which could actually be the reason why RJ didn't kill for such a long time. So eventhough it is still very unlikely that he will end up being RJ he is still someone that we should keep an eye out for.

And then we have our last suspect Thomas McAllister. I must be honest that I don't remember him at all, so I can't really make a point about him being RJ at all. But since he did appear in the beginning of the show and since he questioned Patrick a little bit while they first met he is a likely candidate to be RJ.

So my top 3 at the moment is;

Ray Haffner
Thomas McAllister
Robert Kirkland

In the last episode I noticed some very strange expressions in Lisbon s face. Especially when Jane told her he had a list of 7 suspects, and the moment when he asked what was wrong with her hand.

Could it be possible that the recording with Lorelei is actually planned by Jane? After Lennon was murdered he could have asked her tot make that video. He gave her the information about what to say.
This is the only way I can think of, because when Kirkland broke in, Lorelei was already dead. 
It was a trap by Jane, he knows Teresa has got connections with RJ, my personal guess is that Lisbons Brother is the real RJ. 

Okay let´s  focus on the facts:

1.RJ is a Serial Killer -a rapist before he kills and therefore  it´s a man.
2. he kills Patricks Family because he wanted to teach PJ that he is not so clever ("if you were a true xy you don´t have to open the door to see what I did to your Family...) and he did this because he felt deeply insulted be PJ´s interview on TV.
Which means RJ is really creepy - he also felt insulted by the San Joaquim Killer and acted the same way- kill the one who he thought insulted him.
He did not kill PJ because he has a sense of admiring PJ´s Cleverness-as long PJ isn´t smarter as he is.(for this admiration he send Lorelai as a "Love-gift" first.)
3.he has a huge Network of Co workers for him - especially middle aged women- which means he can attract women easily by charme, Charisma, Money what else.
4. He likes sitting next to Rosalind when she´s playing the piano - I think this fits more to an older guy like Bret Stiles.
Rosalind is safe because she is blind and she loves him- the Person he Plays for her. the fact that she is blind makes sure she is honest and can´t be attracted by his fame as Visualize head. also he makes sure that she is his Possession (remember the little Smiley on her wall)
Even the description of Rosalind fits- straight hair and the physical attributes.
5. the Smiley on the Red Barn doesn´t have to be painted by  kid only someone pressumed this. Fact is:  it was painted in the 80-ties by someone Close to "Visualize"- it´´s RJ Symbol like Visualize has a Symbol. so it´s RJ personal note.  RJ could be without any Problems now in his fifties..
6.  Bret Stilesknows that Lorelai is becoming  a future Problem when he helps PJ to free her from prison and he could be prepared  when she leaves his Network and hunts for him.
7. The man who was killed in the Hospital was a Close "friend" to RJ - so does anyone think Patridge could be so charismatic to womanize all that Ladies and rule to all the established middle aged man? It must be Stiles to my opinion. Kirkland is working for RJ. Aweful smile on kirklands face when PJ finds Lorelai....
8. "Visualize" Keep their Windows Close for Police Investigation so RJ is able to Keep undetected for a long time. He also thinks he can threaten future murders because he feels secure to rest covered among "Visualize".
9. RJ is a great Showman (like Stiles), he is really clever and manipulative (as Lorelai said).
His first choice is Power (he predicts the rules- in 5x22 PJ "changed the rules" and the threat has to be future punishment for Patrick- so RJ is in his daily Life in a powerful Position.
He is sadistic  and attracts sadistic networkers by letting them having their pleasures (the Sheriff son who hold the trapped rich Girl in the Basement of a barn and was shot by Patrick...) this means RJ has enough Power to make sadistic People submit to him (f.e by means of Money or whatever).And he likes to watch/study the dark sides of his workers...
10. he seems to be attracted to red haired woman (Rosalind, Kristina,Brenda, Rebecca and yes: van pelt!-look how charming bret Stiles is with Van Pelt...
11. in 5x22 when Lorelai reads the letter makes compliments with PJs work  and says "bravo"- it sounds like Stiles style...
For me all points to Stiles- only disturbing thing is: PJ teaching Betram lessons in poker Face... There Betram was unable to loose a poker game which reveals also a very vain and power possesed character... this is my suspect number second- also I think Bertram doesnt have enough Charme and Power to make all these people work for him.

 

I believe strongly that Bob Kirkland is Red John or is an accomplice.

I think Bob is Red John for many reasons.
Here is a few:
- He never seems to have an obvious expression on his face, he is someone who doesn't feel loss, hurt or regret. A perfect image for Red John. The one time I've ever seen him smile is after he bumped into Jane in the CBI's office. After shaking Jane's hand and saying 'No, but I know you.' he walks off and then glances round with a grin on his face (kinda looks like the smiley face - RJ symbol). And I'd like to examine that he said 'No. but I know you.', he says Jane doesn't know him but he knows Jane. Exactly LIKE RED JOHN. Red John knows lots of stuff about Jane - in season 5's finale he connects with Jane's childhood/origin - but Red John believes Jane knows nothing about him and thinks Jane might aswell give up.
- He is the perfect age.
- He has contacts in: CBI, FBI and Homeland Security.
- He has a soft voice, Red John probably uses a voice changer/morpher. When he says "Thank you." to an FBI agent in a limousine he sounds rather high pitched and that matches (slightly) the voice Red John used when he saved Jane and recited William Blake's 'Tyger'.
- He seems interested in Jane's progress in the Red John case.

Some of the reasons above both fit for how he could an accomplice.

Red John could be an organization of several people though, or Red John is very manipulative, devious etc. and has MANY people under his influence/guide.