further thoughts on conspiracy theories and popularity contests:

for me, red john is more interesting/intriguing as a character when he's this 'mysterious loner serial killer with a hidden agenda' and unknown motivations. tying him into a law enforcement conspiracy 'kills' a lot of that fun for me. just like the whole 'patrick jane is red john' theory feels like a clever but over-done plot device, i'm getting a bit burnt out on government conspiracies.

so far, i've seen 'red john works for the tyger, tyger group' theories, 'red john is the tyger tyger group' theories, and 'red john and the tyger tyger group hate each other' theories.

perhaps the 'tyger tyger' group exists to cover red john's tracks. NOT because they work for him, but because they are trying to catch him, and failing. they have been trying for a really long time. and it would probably be really, really embarrassing for a law enforcement organization, and the public perception of law enforcement, to NOT reel in a serial killer after so long.

from the serial killer's point of view, this would bother his 'ego,' causing him to be even more brash and 'theatrical.' in order to get noticed and to receive proper attribution for his crimes, he may develop more of a 'calling card' or style, such as the smiley face or the 'tyger tyger' phrase. law enforcement agents who are part of the conspiracy would later 'adopt' the phrase 'tyger tyger' as a code that whatever action they are currently taking covers up a red john related crime. if the serial killer actually is a member of law enforcement, that is a 'twist' that also enables the killer to stay a step ahead of the authorities. he is part of law enforcement, but a killer, which mirrors the duality explored in blake's poem.

under this reasoning, you'd need a conspiracy of law enforcement agents who:

1. hide evidence of red john crimes to reduce public hysteria
2. break the law and procedure to try to kill/capture red john
3. cover the evidence of other officials and agents breaking laws and procedures when attempts to subdue red john fail
4. silence witnesses
5. exist on multiple levels of law enforcement or government agencies

people have commented on how odd the red john timeline is. he appears (we think) at the red barn, then goes dormant for 10 years, before becoming more 'public.' 

but a novice serial killer would probably be more cautious. he may 'hunt' victims that are not going to be missed. and these murders would be relatively 'easier' to cover up in the news, than the later killings. some would probably go unnoticed by themselves. however, as he becomes more brazen, the serial killer would then be less 'discriminant' in terms of his victims, picking increasingly visible targets, and culminating in the murder of a certain psychic's family after that psychic mentioned him on a talk show. that would be the ultimate way to get noticed, and to spite any law enforcement agency's attempts to cover up his handiwork. 

the affinity red john feels for jane could be genuine gratitude for jane indirectly making him so popular.

looking at the suspects from the angle of ego gratification:

1. bertram wants to be the bureau's center of attention, and is happy to do interviews
2. haffner wants recognition for service, and is happy to have that need gratified by money at a higher paying job
3. stiles is the head of a religious cult or sect and wants complete control and adulation
4. smith may not have power or control, but has been depicted venting his anger openly on both colleagues and suspects. in effect, abusing his power as an fbi agent

so once again playing devil's advocate, and expounding on an earlier theory, mcallister (and to a certain extent, smith) stand out as the 2 suspects who don't seem to need their egos stroked on a daily basis.

when lisbon and jane were involved in the napa investigation of episode 3, mcallister teased them, and even thanked them for their help, rather than feeling threatened. he seems like the only suspect who isn't desperate for attention. 

the one exception to that portrayal was mcallister's pursuit of van pelt in season one. it conveyed a sense of being predatory, rapist, and obsessive. he may not have known she was a cop, but he knew cbi was in town. and he still tried to get her in his car.