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

Theory #11102 • By mentalist-style
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I want to try and look at this like a mentalist (if I can manage). The statement made by the actor (undisclosed) who will play RJ may have been including a clue in it. As you know, almost all characters who're accused to be RJ are accused for their actions, behavior and suspicious moments. So, we can say that there have been "certain elements" that made us suspect that those guys may be Red John.

However, the actor says: I though "I WAS" a red herring. I don't know if I'm thinking too deep but he's putting his entire character on the table and call it a red herring. He doesn't say that he thought his actions or behavior is red herring. And the only one who can be identified according to this statement is CBI Ron. Maybe wrong but it was worth to mention. Of course, I have to deny the list in order to come up with such a theory. Have fun people!


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Walter Mashburn
It is actually too funny. I remember the day when I saw Walter Mashburn  for the first time, I thought this guy has resources and loves the thrill of a crime scene he gives Patrick Jane a beautiful car he has to be Red John. And then I typed the name Walter Mashburn in google and I was shocked by the google suggestion that I thought I saw one of the biggest spoilers in my life... Mashburn is Red John. And I needed to see the remaining season, because the season was already ended. Gladly it was not the case and Red John was still a mystery.

Ray Haffner
After a while Mashburn just disappeared, the only time we could see his name on the little notebook of Jane who is suspected to be RJ. And then a guy named Ray Haffner got a lot of screen time with some very good characteristics. He is like Patrick Jane's rival in looks and brains. Somehow he gets really insecure when he talks to Teresa or sees a spider, so there is a human side hidden in him. It's just like he is supposed to be Red John.

Brett Stiles
He helped Patrick a lot, he helped Lorelei escape. But just one thing bothers me, when he talks to Jane he really talks about Red John as a third person. It could be him, but I will talk about that later :P..

The Sheriff McAllister(reminds me of Home Alone 1 and 2 lol)
I really like this character. He just loves to hunt and it is like he is really intelligent you can see it in some scenes but he just tries to hide it by acting ignorant. I have read many books and it is always quite scary when a Sheriff of a little town has a secret agenda. It's like a big home where he can be himself and relax. And the actor who plays the Sheriff is just awesome, just try to look whenever McAllister squints his eyes it's like that little bit of Red John that you'll see once in a few times. In episode 3 you saw the Sheriff challenging Patrick Jane about the crime scene, it was like a mini game they loved to play together.

Whoisredjohn.com
This is the funny part. The people on this site always figure out to amaze me,  The theories I've read are really thoroughly written. If you're a neutral person you would really believe that all the seven persons are in fact Red John. Somehow I honestly believe that Heller is sometimes looking on this site to see how his viewers are thinking. Maybe someone even got the whole Red John part right. 

Bertram
That Bertram though lol it's like he has a fetish to see how Patrick discovers Red John, every time those eyes and smile are creepy. When Patrick saw those three dots Bertram was like evil o.O Reede Smith was grumpy like always and Thomas was Patrick it's not what you think.

I had an idea, if Patrick somehow already knows who Red John is then we should look at his body language in front of those people where his confidence will lower significantly.

There is still that one riddle that won't slip my mind. When Kirkland brought three coffee mugs, he somehow expected a third person. Who would that be? *suspense sound....*

We should respect Heller for the fact that already two suspects are dead. Don't make yourself disappointed if you want a  dead person to be Red John. Let's just see what the next episode will bring us. With every episode the majority change their opinion who Red John is, no wonder that is the intention of the writes.

Just enjoy, be patient they are all good characters to be Red John,. *cough* not Reede Smith  *cough* 
I do hope it's Ray or the Sheriff, it doesn't matter who it is. I just want to see an episode through their eyes. To see Red John being Red John.

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Am I really supposed to believe that Red John bombed Patrick's house? The time between Patrick's gunshot and the bomb being set off is quite long (How long... I do not know). Then Teresa co-incidentally arrives on the scene. And Bertram and Reede conveniently escape, and the other 3 people are dead- blown to bits. And through all this, Patrick is almost fine and kicking in the next episode?... That would be worse writing than a very essential "fake death."

And I'm supposed to believe Gale Bertram is Red John, as Patrick announces next episode to the media. And I'm supposed to believe Reede Smith, who is caught next episode, is RJ's friend, so he spared him in the bomb blast? Yet he decides its fun to blow up Bret Stiles, the leader of the source of his followers. Heck, I'm supposed to believe Bret Stiles, McAllister and Haffner are even dead?

If Bertram is RJ, who the hell is he calling in fire and brimstone?

I'm supposed to believe, the "educated" brother Robert Kirkland, can't read? "Agent Lisbawn," seriously? And that Robert Kirkland is capable of forgetting all about Tyger Tyger and gains a beer belly in max 3 days in prison before Smith shoots him? And that Robert who tortures people for information on Red John, suddenly kills Jason lennon and calls him a friend?

Am I really "reaching" when I say Reede Smith shot Michael Kirkland?

Am I really "reaching" when I say Bertram, Smith and McAllister are good guys on the inside of Tyger Tyger- the subject of their meeting was "a clean up" and "tracking the arrests"? Law enforcement clean up? Am I reaching when I say Robert Kirkland and Gale Bertram are having a conversation after Patrick invites him to his house.

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Theory #11097 • By whatIF
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What if Red John tells Jane that he is really Red John but he did not kill his family before he dies?

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I woke up this morning and suddenly I was a 100% sure that Red John will not be one of the three with the tattoos. I just know it. Just think about it. If it's one of the 3, we will all be yawning. There's no excitement, no shock factor. Is this really the big reveal? For 6 seasons we've been waiting and it will really just be as boring as this? No.

Red John has to be one of the "dead" ones (Kirkland or Partridge), or Stiles or Haffner. 

Stiles has the shock factor because he has been friendly with PJ and helping him, so it would be a bit of a surprise that all this time he was the one that killed his family.

With Haffner, even though he was popular as a suspect a few weeks ago, people have given up on him slightly. He seems to be superficial, cares about money, PJ doesn't think highly of him. So he would be more surprising too than the 3 with the tattoos.

It feels like the writers are putting it in our head that RJ must be one of the three. But if he is, we're going to fall asleep during the Red John episode. I'm putting my trust into the writers and hoping they are not gonna be that predictable.

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Last week I posted my guess/theory on who the serial killer might be. Since CBS messed up with the broadcast of episode 122 (extremely disrespectful to all fans and viewers) not all were able to see it. The theory has received an 84% plausibe against a 16% unlikely week vote. =)


As I said, I have watched in the past month all 122 episodes. This week I have rewatched all Red John related episodes including those where any of the final suspects show up. I have also taken into acount some of the theories I have read over here (A lot of thinking out there) while rewatching. =)


Two considerations: First, this is a fictional police procedural series. So the producers and writers can end up this case any way they like. Second, my guess is only based on the 122 episodes aired until now. I do not stop reading a book in the middle of it, to read others, to then guess how the first one ends. A great story must explain itself. =)


My guess: Partridge appears in the very first episode (S01E01) describing a copycat crime scene as Red John´s. Patrick calls him ghoul, irksome, fangoria fan. I will give you that, he is a special character in the show, but only that. He is killed (S06E01) and dies telling Lisbon "tyger-tyger" (No, lisbon does not belong to the clan, and no, either she has a tattoo) Patrick tells Lisbon his blood was used to draw a smile on her face (S06E02) Partridge is the perfect cover up member, as a forensic agent, for the crimes committed by the Law Enforcement Mafia.

McAllister loses infinite times rock paper scissors to Patrick (A very funny scene S01E02) Red John is so damn clever, so he said. McAllister is revealed to have the tattoo thus being a member of the Law Enforcement Mafia (S06E06).

Kirkland is killed in the Red Listed episode (S06E04) by Smith who we know now is part of the organization (S06E04 and S06E06) Besides in The Crimson Ticket (S05E01) Smith is played and heated up by Patrick making him confront Cho, even fighting him. So, Kirkland the creepy character reveals us many things before he dies. There is a Law Enforcement Mafia. He has a twin brother. His brother is a Red John´s accomplice (S05E18). Red John requested Kirkland´s twin brother devotion and sacrifice (S06E04). He is also after Red John.

Bertram, he who is many things to many people, is part of the Law Enforcement Mafia (S06E01 S06E02 S06E06) He also is a very special character of the show, but not Red John.


The weird man/woman (S06E02) feeding the pigeons. If it is suposed to be a clue this happens right after Patrick meets Bertram, McAllister and Smith (the great red dragon) so must be related to Red John. Not afraid of pigeons. He personally killed Partridge. He is close, very close, in desguise. =)

All this leaves me with a question when Bret Stiles promises he will return (S06E06): How does Michael Kirkland look today?


Theory #9511 • By Totally engaged =)
Posted 1 week ago

42 people find it plausible
8 people find it unlikely

I have watched in the past month all 122 episodes, which makes me a serious Mentaddict. =)
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-Spoiler for those who did not watched "Fire and Brimstone"-
At the end of the episode the 5 remaining suspects are separated into two groups. Those who have the tattoo(3) and those who do not(2).

Episode 123 is called "The Great Red Dragon" where the law enforcement mafia will be revealed. Then the three tattooed suspects will be discarted.

Episode 124, "Red John" one of the remaining two will be revealed as the serial killer.
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Ok, I believe that is the storyline of the series.

Bret Stiles will be revealed as Red John "the mind" and Michael Kirkland "the body".

My guess: The law enforcement mafia has used Red John as a cover up for commiting some crimes. The day Red John saves Patrick revealing the tyger tyger poem, he needs Jane´s help. Red John feeds him to help him uncover the mafia who are using his signature to commit some crimes. Being Brett Partridge the ideal member to cover up the leads. Red John kills him first as a call to the mafia "I know who you are and I am after you". Reason why they really need to find him first. They need to shut him up before Red John reveals not all the murders where commited by himself nor his accomplice. Red John loves Patrick as a father-son love. He killed his wife and daughter not to punish him but to convert him into a killer, which he already has by killing Red John´s bait.
Michael Kirkland "the body" is Red John, or if you want to see it in another way, he is Red John´s main assasin. He fits in size and description to most leads given. Bret Stiles "the mind" is Red John. He fits all the cleverness to be always ahead of Patrick.

Well, in two weeks we will see, until then... =)

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the last sneak peek from CBS
http://www.spoilertv.com/2013/11/the-mentalist-episode-607-great-red_13.html
look carefully at haffner

first he was sitting on Stiles right hand and than on his left next to the door

After whay teresa told him about Jane thinking he's RJ he tries to escape when PJ turns his back but Patrick saw him and shot to make him sitdown again, that was the shot we heard before lisbon came and everything exploded.

when first we saw the five suspects sitting McAllister had his hat with him on the couch with his hand always on it. when PJ asked him to move with others the hat remains in it's place.
was there anything Inside it,, after all why bring his hat with him he could've kept it in his car.

in E08 we'll see a Young actor Nick nordella,, i think hell play Mcallister's role,, the resemblance is too much, secially the dimple chin they both have. no any other blue eyed suspect has it.

i'll keep my theory that this Young actor will play a role in PJ's past,




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