Hello kids! I'm a long time reader and first time writer, I hope you'll enjoy my theory!
I think that Ray Haffner is Red John but I'll start with excluding the other suspects besides him and then I'll get to why I think Haffner Is Red John!
Reede Smith:
As
we all know in S04E24 Red John told Jane that he has a friend in the
FBI, most likely somebody high up. That friend is Reede Smith, and that
tyger tyger thing at the end of E04 proves this so I think that excludes
him from the list, he obivously is one of RJ's followers.
Gale Bertram:
Sure
he recited a poem by William Blake and is acting all shady and stuff in
front of Jane now, but it's only because he is trying to get Jane to
talk about how much he knows about Red John but he fails repeatedly.
That meeting with Bertram, Smith and McAllister confirms it. Smith asked
Bertram: "Exactly how much does Jane know?" and "It's your job to know
the answer" with a tone you probably wouldn't take with Red John. You
could see on his face that he that he didn't seem too comfortable. So I
think that excludes Bertram from the list. I think he is a follower
though.
Bret Stiles:
In 1988 Red John was a kid, Stiles was 45
years old that year. Also I don't think he would have the time to have a
duplicitous personality as busy as he is. I think he knows who Red John
is and is very careful with that information. Also I think he might be
Red John's father, in this case Ray Haffner which would kinda make sense
as he easily could provide much money for him. And we know that Red
John has much money.
Sherrif Thomas McAllister:
I'm not sure
what the deal is with this guy since we don't know much about him
besides that he doesn't fit Harker's description. He may be a follower,
he may not be.
Why is Ray Haffner Red John?
He fits the
description perfectly, he tried to turn Lisbon for another job and we
know that turning people is one of Red John's things. He was a kid in
1988, about the same year he joined visualize. He always calls Lisbon by
her first name "Theresa", as do Red John. In E02 he said that he likes
Lisbon and this is probably why he spared her in the season premiere. I
mentioned above that Stiles may be Haffner's father which would make
alot of sense with all the Red John being rich and all since he's got a
limo and paid that lady cash upfront to draw the smiley face with that
airplane in the season 1 finale. And he also walks just like Red John: http://i.imgflip.com/4a7bq.gif http://i.imgflip.com/4a7e2.gif