Here is a wild theory that popped into my head the other day.

Brett Partridge has always been the number one suspect for good reason, because Brett Partridge WAS Red John.

He is really dead. He was killed in Episode 1 of Season 6 by a new unknown killer who may or may not be a Tiger Tiger member.

We will see the other suspects all be killed off or eliminated from being suspects (even though they have shady aspects to them) as the truth emerges that it was Partridge all along.

This moves the show on to a new era with the question changing from "Who is Red John?" to "Who KILLED Red John?" and how should Patrick react to the killer who was able to "get" Red John and rob Patrick of the chance of vengence (which is what has been driving him for years).

The killing of Partridge did not seem like a Red John killing, especially with what happened to Lisbon. Have there been any confirmed Red John killings since Partridge died? The Lorelei video suggested that he would be going on a killing spree, but that has not happened.

ok so i was right about kirkland woo hooo now onto my theory i have been watching the red listed episode about 10 times just the kirkland and jane part and the ending with smith. i believe that bertram, reed, and mcallister have nothing to do with red john what gave me this idea is if red john knows the list which he does why would mcallister, reed and bertram look so confused at each other when reed says what does jane really know that gives me the idea that they are not involved with red john but have there own secret cbi, fbi, sheriff , doj underground organization also bertram seems eager to catch red john i believe the reason for that is to eliminate red john which is the ultimate threat to the organization. now for my red john theory just a theory new light has been shed upon me on the episode 4 red listed jane is very very smart telling lisbon the list seems to me very upfront for jane in the past even with lives at risk is he very honest and open with anything the list to me is either people who are in the eyes of jane are red john or his disciples leave mcallister,smith,and bertram out just for a second now we have stiles and haffner to me none of these could be red john why stiles yes sociopath con artist he uses peoples loneliness and depression against them in my eyes hes red john but with out the killing people also he does know who red john is why red john use to be part of visualize why did he get kicked out maybe he had a different approach to using visualize to kill people or to hurt people stiles does not condone killing people remember the episode were the lawyer killed the girl in visualize he slapped him and said please tell me you had nothing to do with killing that poor girl" yes in that episode the friend said they would kill her visualize is very powerful  i am sure you can not just quit a cult but as you can see people can quit also why would stiles say to jane i know more than you or red john would ever know why remember the vent videos were you air out all your sins and most worst things you have done well red john is in one of those videos i believe thats were the young man character comes into play in later episodes why do you think visualize is so involved ray haffner in my eyes is sent by stiles to keep on eye out for visualize because when jane catches or kills him visualize is going to be on the chopping block so i do not know who red john is bruno heller remember the mentalist is his baby in interviews he is not going to tell you the truth just look at his show its very deceiving just like heller but in a good way also yes me have seen red john since episode 1 but were in the back ground infront of your face we do not know, for me everyone is on my list even cho, rigsby, lisbon, van pelt, janes father brother in law but the people i know for sure are the ones on the actual list they are not red john but what makes it interesting is finding michael kirkland bob kirkland said i never seen my brother again maybe in future episodes he will be found either he is in visualize or part of red john i will leave with these last words remember red john was in visualize so he uses the same tricks as stiles if you notice red john uses the weak minded ex drug addicts cons people that have nothing to lose i doubt a fbi agent a director of cbi and a sheriff would be desciples they are not weak minded but strong minded enough to make there own organization why reed smith would kill kirkland so he would not tell jane about the organization. one last thing in prior theories i did say kirkland wants revenge for either a family member or i thought he was the boy friend to lorelies sister. as for partridge do not count him out yet remember heller is very deceiving and he could keep the actors names out of the episodes.