Who is Red John?

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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

Nick Nordella appears in both episode 6x07, The Great Red Dragon and 6x08, Red John, as shown on the IMDB website. His appearance in these two episodes has led many people (including myself) to believe that he plays the young Red John from the Visualize owned 'Elliston Farm' in 1998.

The two actors from the list of seven (five remaining) suspects who Nordella resembles the most closely are Sheriff Thomas McAllister and Raymond Haffner. I have no doubt that Haffner is a very strong suspect but i believe that McAllister is Red John.

This is due to his age. The actor who plays McAllister (Xander Berkeley) was born in 1955. This makes him 58 currently. Therefore, he was 33 when Red John killed the Visualize members in the barn (as shown on Season 5 Episode 13- The Red Barn). The priest in this episode (Kyle Secor) told Jane that Martin Talbot told him ‘some kid’ drew the face. At the age of 33 at this point, Berkley would be unlikely to be referred to as a 'kid' by anyone. However, the age of Berkley's character (Thomas Mcallister) on the show is 50. This means that in 1988, he was 25. This makes him much more likely to fit Talbot's description of a kid.

Returning to the point of Nick Nordella, he is currently aged 25. The character of Thomas McAllister was 25 in 1988 because the writers changed Berkley's age. Coincidence? I think not. Nordella resembles a young McAllister. And they have changed Berkley's age to make McAllister and Nordella the same age at this point. Why do this? Because Thomas McAllister is Red John

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I dont believe that red john is ray haffner. In the episode where teresa lisbon refuses to join haffner's private firm, haffner asks her if it is because of Jane. Haffner tells lisbon that when jane finishes catching red john, Jane is going to leave the firm. Haffner gives this as incentive for lisbon to join his company. Now why would haffner say this if he were red JOHN?

Also R E D J O H N has 7 letters. Jane also compiles a list of 7 names (just an interesting thought =) )Honestly I dont think that red john is any of the 7 guys..

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It is Bob Kirkland, but not Bob Kirkland. His brother is Red John.. That is why he keeps asking people if they recognize him. Because his brother is a twin. 

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List is down to 5. After shooting, Reede Smith didn't draw any smilie. Not RJ's MO. So list is down to 4?. McAllister proved himself having no acrophobia. So list now down to 3?. in Episode 2 or 3, Bertram, Reede Smith and McAllister sits in a Room and asks each other "The Question is, How much does he(jane)know". This gives a hint that they all share the same Status in relation with RJ. If one of them is not RJ, none of them is. List is now down to 2. Ray Haffner or Brett Stiles. Yet to see Stiles in this Season, But it would be a cliché if BS is RJ.


Murder can be a business. And Ray Haffner is the one who started his own Agency. He Likes Lisbon. And RJ did not kill her. Could be him. At least he has handsome face, that misdirects suspicion. And tall enough  to fit to silhouette of RJ's Visualizations in Past. 

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D** it. Rob Kirkland is playing this very well into deceiving everybody. I dont think Haffner would be Red John. It doesn't describe the profile from the description that was described in a previous episode, Red John was described as a Narcissist. Haffner appears to be a ESFP personality type which describes why he is attracted to Lisbon. I think a serial killer as Red John would have to an introvert. Rob Kirkland is so so good at not letting emotions get to him. If i was told to get out of the Van i would be frighten not knowing what will happen next. Rob Kirkland was completely calm as if he know what was going to happen. I wouldn't be surprised if he was wearing a vest. I know my Theory may sound weak between Haffner being a ESFP and LIsbon a ISFJ, but extraverts are not likely to be serial killers. Somebody who is withdrawn from society and has hidden agendas are the enemy.

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Someone mentioned a while ago that Brett Partridge might have had a twin brother. This was their explanation for two things. 1) How Brett could fake his own death, as his twin would have near matching DNA, finger prints, etc, as him. 2) How the producer of the show could say "Partridge" was dead and not be lying.

The whole twin thing fits in with the idea of symmetry throughout the show (Tyger Tyger). In William Blake's painting Brace of Partridge there are two birds, both mirror images of each other.

Perhaps Red John has some sort of fascination with twins. Robert and Michael Kirkland, whose lives he ruined. Lorelei Martins and her twin sister Miranda.

His obsession with this "symmetry" could be because he is a twin himself.

Just a theory.

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OK, let me get this straight first. My first choice is McAllister, as I've posted here before. And the chance of Smith being the Red John is this thin. And no, this has nothing to do with his appearance or attitude. This is simply a matter of good storytelling. You don't run 5 seasons worth of a manhunt and then introduce the real bad guy in just one episode in season 5. Nope, that's a cop-out writing.
On the other hand, people gloss Smith over way too easily. As this season shows, he's actually pretty ruthless, smart, and capable of extreme violence. Think of Saul Goodman--dude sleazes around a lot, but damn isn't he good at what he does. Smith is just like that. Kudos to Drew Powell for that scene when he fakes obliviousness to Kirkland. That's a stellar acting right there. 

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