The latest theories about Red John's identity (page 219)

I know we've only seen him in one episode, but I think it could be Danny Ruskin, Jane's brother-in-law.

I was thinking and I realised that RJ seems to know a lot about Jane's past, indicating that he may have been involved in it somehow and at first I thought Jane may have a brother or sister that we've never met, but that would be rather disappointing, wouldn't it? But what if it was his wife's brother?

In the one episode we see him in (Cackle-bladder Blood), we learn that Danny grew up on the same carnival as Jane and that he later became a con-man. This would explain why RJ knows so much about Jane's past.

We also learn that Danny dislikes Jane a lot for two reasons, taking his sister out of his life and then for getting her killed by taunting RJ on TV.

But really, Danny didn't seem like the kind of person who would do that. He is a con-man though. He could hide things well. Maybe he thought that if he couldn't have his sister in his life, neither could Jane. And maybe his hostility isn't towards Jane getting his family killed, maybe he hates him because he taunted him on live TV?

Anyway, I did a little research and I found out three interesting things.
1) When people leave the carnival they don't get to come back. People hate it when others leave and the phrase 'dead to me' is often used. I know this isn't substantial evidence or anything, I just thought it was interesting and maybe a small hint at who RJ is.
2) This point is a lot more interesting. We all know how RJ uses the alias Roy Tagliaferro. Well the name Roy means red. and Ruskin has the meaning 'red-haired'. We know from Jane that people tend to use aliases that are similar or have a connection to their name.
3) After reading about the Roy-Ruskin-Red connection, I decided to see if Daniel and John had any connection at all. The name John means 'God is my judge' and the name Daniel means 'God is gracious'. I know this isn't a very definite connection, but if RJ is at all religious, it could be a possibility.

Also, remember how 'RJ' told Jane how Angela smelled before she died. Well it was done with a car bomb, so it's likely that he wouldn't have come close enough to her to know that. But someone who grew up around Angela would maybe have memories of her perfume how she would often smell.

Danny also fits the physical description of RJ very closely. The actor, Kevin Rankin, is 1.82m tall which is 5 feet 11 and 21/32 inches (points to google calculator) or just under 6 feet? We also know that he is younger than Angela (his sister), but he can't be much younger as he isn't much younger than Jane. His voice also fits the description of RJ's;soft and high-pitched.

Finally, in the same episode we meet him, Jane describes him as a 'sociopath, like all good con-men' and he often describes RJ as a sociopath too. So, does Jane maybe secretly know in his mind, as we know that RJ can hypnotise Jane?

So yeah, that's my theory on RJ being Danny Ruskin.

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I am not sure it is Frye, but I think she will re-emerge at least as one of Red John's disciples, if not actually Red John. I do NOT think that RJ will end up as one of the seven on the list. Stiles, Bertram, and Kirkland are too obvious, Haffner, the Sheriff, and the FBI agent are too minor, and Partridge is too disappointing. I think RJ will end up as someone with whom Jane has developed an emotional connection, and that points to Kristina Frye, who has conveniently remained in the background for a couple of years.

Frye, like RJ, is fascinated with Jane, enjoys the gamesmanship of the relationship, is psychologically sophisticated, manipulative, self-centered, smug, amoral, and well-connected.

Kirkland clearly seems to be in league with RJ, but is too obvious as RJ himself. It cannot be CBI Ron unless his character is more fully developed in Season 6 - for dramatic reasons, RJ cannot be simply a guy who walked around in the background for 5 years carrying a cup of coffee. We - and Jane - must have some emotional connection to him in order for this to work as drama. This is not to say that Ron might not be an RJ mole.

I would also not be surprised if Susan Darcy turned out to be an RJ associate or even RJ. Even though RJ is repeatedly described as a man, we know from Timothy Carter that Red John may have many surrogates posing as himself, which leaves open the possibility that RJ is a woman. I would also not be too surprised if Van Pelt - who seems susceptible to psychological manipulation - either becomes or is already a tool of RJ. She is very idealistic, and such people are prone to be followers of people with grand ideas. But she is too young to be RJ himself.

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Let me keep this as simple as possible. My facts are
pertaining only to Season 5, Ep. 22. Near the beginning of the episode there is
a notable fast-frame scene of the CBI office from dusk til dawn the night of
the murder. Notice the camera pans away from Jane sleeping on the couch, and
then pans back to him - as the janitor is cleaning the office. There is also emphasis on the difficulty Lisbon
had in waking Jane that morning [after the murder]. Last and certainly not
least, the video that ‘RJ’ created for Jane presents the specific verbiage “until
you catch me, or until I catch you”.

Basically, Jane [was] not on the couch at a point during the
night when no one was around.

What was the cause of Jane’s lack of sleep the night of the
murder? (difficulty be woken by Lisbon)

The video RJ created presents
unfathomable connection to Jane; which pretty much eliminates another physical
person being RJ. Another physical person having this insight to Jane would
morph this show to the liking Genre of the show “Heroes” (and we all know how
that turned out…. I don’t think the writers/producers want to tread that
water).

I think special note should be taken to RJ stating “until
you catch me, or until I catch you”. This articulates a back-and-forth contention.

Therefore, I believe now that RJ is an alternate personality
of Jane; however, this does not mean that all is lost!! I hope the writers don’t
copy Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde ending. The question would be how will the show
develop after Jane’s realization? I would suppose we will start to see a lot
more flash back episodes covering Jane’s life – to point towards the ‘trigger’
of his split-personality. I firmly
believe that although first inclination is to be upset with the writers for
heading in this direction, they could use this to further a liking – and prevailing
– of Jane……..over his alternate personality.

….AND, pre-emptively, I will rebut any opposition to this
theory with this;

RJ is already proven to not operate on his own and is
himself a mastery of manipulation (hypnosis…..hey! so is Jane). Therefore, a RJ
murder COULD occur while Jane is not there (i.e. ….. in the Mental hospital).

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Theory #2699 • By Marko

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Red John is a tag team duo of Rosalind Harker and her sister Grace Van Pelt.

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I believe Brett Partridge is not Red John, but is a bumbling fool that helps red john by covering up the evidence of identity for him.

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HI : RJ is PJ's father!

I don't remember exactly in what episod of the mentalist season 3 I just thought that RJ may be PJ's father, WHY ?
We don't have a lot of informations about him : is he still alive? The last scene i saw of PJ's father was a memory scene of PJ refusing to scammed an old women with her sick daughter; then comes a meeting scene between RJ and PJ when RJ comes near to PJ and told him the poetry, RJ was bigger then PJ as we cas see at this scene ( PJ father is also a tall men then PJ), and with this last episod i am definitly sure that is him : who can know about a happy memory of PJ childhooh that he never told to anyone? his father was there as PJ says himself to teresa when he remember the song.

AS we know : RJ is more intelligent then PJ, and especially he knows what PJ could think or do anytime in any circonstances, he's someone who got power to manipulate people.
Why will he make PJ suffer by killing his wife and daughter : REVENGE, because PJ left him and runs away when he was young maybe, or simply to show him that he's always the intelligent and powerful, isn't PJ's father who show's him how to act like a real medium.
My theory is done, so what do you think about?

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IBRA IS RED JOHN! HE IS! LOOK AT HIM! THE WAY HE TALKS TO JANE, THE WAY HE WALKS IS IBRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!

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