Who is Red John?

Share your own theory and rate other people’s

List of seven

Thomas McAllister
Thomas McAllister
Reede Smith
Reede Smith
Ray Haffner
Ray Haffner
Gale Bertram
Gale Bertram
Brett Partridge
Brett Partridge
Bret Stiles
Bret Stiles
Bob Kirkland
Bob Kirkland

LATEST THEORIES

It definitely has to be him. The young guy who will play Red john of 1988, resembles Thomas Mcallister. The age also matches. The guy looks around 20, and Mcallister according to the script is 45. It would be disappointing for everyone if he turns out to be Red john as he just plays the role of a normal Sheriff. The boots he wear, also tell the same story. Moreover, when Rebecca was killed, he was there. Good posture, middle aged man, excellent whistler and has no family of his own. Jane also said he is not dumb as he looks. He was in the series since the beginning, so I suspect him

Argue on this theory or rate it.
plausible
unlikely

Bob Kirkland asks Alexa Shultz to get information on Jane via Virgil Minelli and later Madelin Hightower. Alexa could be working for "Tyger, Tyger" group. The conversation below makes me doubt that though.

Was she working with Kirkland all along? Bob Kirkland was shown to highly prepared. He bought all possible combonations of the coffee to be prepared. Does he have fail safe plans in the event of his death? Do they involve other people?

Alexa Shultz and Gale Bertram talk before a press conference as a court house. Here is the conversation.
Bertram: Alexa. Hi. (Chuckles) We still have a deal, right?
Alexa: I'd rather eat spiders, but, yeah, we still have a deal.
Bertram: Good, good. God, you look fabulous, by the way. Camera ready. Is--is my tie straight?
Alexa:  You understand, Gale, this matter doesn't end here. You have to give us Lorelei Martins, or there'll be consequences down the line.
Bertram: Consequences for whom? It was your agents that killed the best chance we've had yet of catching Red John. It was your Agent Darcy that killed Wainright.
Alexa: Tragic outcome in a deadly force situation. Agent Darcy is devastated. She's had a nervous collapse, in fact. Your people committed deliberate crimes.
Bertram: Well, that's debatable. Look! We have agreed to a cover-up. That's the deal. If you're saying now that... (Chuckles) you're gonna dig this all up again unless I do your bidding, then no deal. No, let--let's tell the truth right now. An FBI agent shot and killed a CBI agent in the midst of a botched operation. It'll be a huge scandal, we'll probably lose our jobs, but I'm sure we'll both feel better for it


Alexa Shultz and Robert Kirkland were working together for a long time as shown in Red Dawn. She was forwarding information on Patrick Jane.

From the conversation above I would say she is not in Tyger, Tyger.

Who is Alexa Shultz loyal to?

Who is Gale Bertram loyal to?

I think Bertram is Red John and either controls, works for, or maybe against the "Tyger Tyger" group. I am not sure which. The groups origins will be important in figuring that out.

My guess is that Brett Styles starts Tyger Tyger for visualize protection purposes. Burtram might have assisted in its creation.

Burtram(Red John) might hold some grudge against Visualize and Brett Styles so it working against their protective organization to destroy the church.

just an idea. I really am not sure. I am going with Bertram as Red John. The details could vary a lot.





Argue on this theory or rate it.
plausible
unlikely
Theory #4648 • By NOHJDER
Show this theory

I think RJ  Could be PJ 'S   Dad <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<See what i did there :)
Also Bret and Brett <<<<<<<<<<<<<Very odd to have two people of the same name ? Related?
And i STILL think that Van Pelt is working for RJ and i think that Bosco wispered something about about her on his deathbed because if you look at the end of that episode the way PJ looks at her when they are having a drink in the office is VERY strange.
I did'nt notice it untill i watched it for the second time .

Argue on this theory or rate it.
plausible
unlikely

Just one thought.
Maybe Tyger Tyger organization has nothing to do with RJ, but its just a distraction to confuse us? It just so happened that some suspects are part of the Tyger Tyger.

Argue on this theory or rate it.
plausible
unlikely

Tyger Tyger... isn't just a code. The first time we hear it is when Red John himself recites the first line of Blake's "The Tyger" to him while saving his life. But why does RJ share this ambiguous info with Jane? Two reasons.

1) He's saying, "I've got your back." The Tyger Tyger ring of law enforcement officers have instructions not to kill Patrick Jane. Maybe RJ thinks he can win him over, and he would relish being able to do that; or else, He really thinks his web is so well woven that Patrick will never catch him and eventually give up, and he relishes in that too. After all, RJ does reach out to Jane, in "Crimson Hat" after Jane pretends to have given up. 

2) He knows that if Jane stays on the trail long enough, Jane will eventually come to know of Tyger Tyger. Once Jane comes to know about the code word he will begin to realize how vast RJ's web of influence is, and be daunted by this discovery.

Finally, Red John makes mistakes... Jane will use this information to ensnare him in his own web.

Argue on this theory or rate it.
plausible
unlikely

I have a few thoughts. If anyone likes any of the thoughts please add to the theory since Im not an expert on this.
Ray Haffner first appeared after Jane killed the fake Red John....Whats the significance of this?  Why was he trying to get so close to Jane?  Does it make any sense that Jane would be the only one on the team allowed to stay.
Jane asked Lisbon about him and was told he is an expert on surveillance.  I dont remember him ever asking about anyone else.  Is there any significance to him being an expert on surveillance? Is it a hint that Red John(?Haffner) was watching him up close.

Any connection between Reede Smith name and Ray Haffners real name(actor name is Reed).
Reede Smith - this is a stretch but Reede ( is basically the name Red w 2 extra e's) Smith(most common name like John).  Is it a hint or a stretch

Argue on this theory or rate it.
plausible
unlikely

It makes sense now why Kirkland would ask people if they recognize him because I believe Kirkland thought his brother is Red John.  That is why he wanted to kill him on his own. Bob Kirkland was very sadistic himself-imagine what his brother is like.  Surely if it was his brother anyone who has actually seen Red John would think it was Bob Kirkland.  It is not surprising at all that various law enforcement people would all want to bag the Red John case for themselves, or that there would be a renegade group that uses their own methods to deal with criminal cases.  I concur with Red Dragon's theories around the biblical and William Blake references in the show-to that end I think that Bret Stiles has some connection to the murders and that he killed or had killed his own son, Brett Partridge as a sacrifice.   I also believe that Brett Partridge said Tyger,Tyger to Lisbon because she is part of the conspiracy.  I don't believe that the conspirators are working with Red John, but they are inadvertently leaking information.  

Argue on this theory or rate it.
plausible
unlikely
Follow us on