So, I noticed something interesting about the suspects this year.  The Sheriff is the only one of them who actually gets along with Patrick.  Bertram finds him frustrating as always.  Reede accuses him of murder.  Haffner pokes at him saying "We study you in visualize now," calling his blind struggle against fate so fruitless.  Partridge seems generally upset with Jane's coldness towards him.  Stiles is annoyed with Jane and doesn't want to meet with him.  "What's so damned important?!?" he says.  Oh and Kirkland tries to torture him for information.  :)

Only McAllister is friendly to Patrick.  He asks Jane to call him "Tom".  With regards to the case in Napa Valley, McAllister tells Jane he truly appreciates him making his job easier for him.  He saves Jane's life, even.  Then proceeds to tell him "I'm at your disposal anytime."  When it came to rounding up the suspects, the Sheriff doesn't protest or debate about meeting.  He agrees almost immediately and then asks, "This is about Red John, isn't it?"

I find this odd considering how little the Sheriff liked Jane in season 1.  He was immediately annoyed with him.  He asks Jane curtly, "What exactly is it that you do?"  They play rock paper scissors and Jane beats him repeatedly, making the Sheriff angrier each time he loses.  So why does McAllister like Jane in season 6, then?

Here's my theory;  Red John initially hated Patrick.  He called Jane a money-grubbing fraud and killed his wife and child for slandering him on the news.  However the farther we get along in the series, it seems the more he has grown to respect him.  He winds up saving Jane from the copycats, offers the hand of friendship by sending Lorelei, and even when the 7 suspects are revealed, RJ doesn't kill Jane.  Instead he challenges Patrick to catch him.  That's why I think "Tom" gets along with Patrick in season 6.  He is Red John, and over 6 years of cat and mouse, he has found Jane to be a worthy adversary... and probably the closest thing he has to a real friend.  He has many followers but no one has the guts to challenge him like Patrick.  Red John needs Patrick, much like the Joker needs Batman and Moriarty needs Sherlock Holmes.

It's getting to the point where almost anything in past episodes is now being seen as a 'clue'. Things people didn't notice before, have suddenly become massive clues.
Take the end of this clip for example. Mashburn and Jane walk away, and the camera zooms in on Mashburn's car. The lights and the bumper of the red sports car almost look like a 'Red John' type smiley face.

See how easy it is to make big things out of nothing?

Personally, I believe Bob Kirkland is still alive and his brother Michael was the one who was killed - sacrificed more likely by his stronger brother's alter ego: Red John (Bob Kirkland). Bob probably controlled his twin from the time they were young. The stronger twin usually has some degree of control over the weaker and if Michael 'worshiped' his brother (who happened to be Red John) he would happily die for him.

Some form of mind control/hypnosis will play an essential role in whoever is exposed as red John. (even if not Kirkland)

It's been fun guessing all these years. Going to be sad on some level when it's all over.

The only thing that is 100% certain about the IMDb cast-list for the Red John episode is that the News Anchor and Media Liaison characters are sexy as fuck