For 3 years now, I have been convinced that Brett Partridge was RJ. Nothing anyone could say would have changed my mind. Partridge dying didn't even change my mind. Then I went and rewatched last season and everything started changing my mind. Last season, I knew Kirkland was a psychopath but couldn't bring myself to think he was RJ. It was too simple. Then the twin story was introduced and when I rewatched last season it started making sense. Things that Kirkland said started making sense. And here's my theory....

Kirkland said that he grew up in many places and considered himself from America. The statement didn't mean much at the time. Then this season we find out that he had a twin and his mother killed herself and his dad was a drunk.

Then there is the comment by Lorieli....."I'm surprised that the two of you didn't become life long friends when you first shook hands." Life long friends emplies that they met when they were young, not in recent years.

Bob and Michael also grew up in the carnival world. Maybe they were tiger trainers. Their mom may have even killed herself because of something Patrick or his dad said or did. We know that Patrick recognized Kirkland but wasn't sure from where. It's because they met when they were young. In the first season, a twin was killed that was connected to a RJ follower's son.

I have read that the next two episodes will involve Patricks past life in the carnival. This is why.

I don't know if the killer is Bob or Michael because I think that both of them have been introduced into the show as Bob so I'm not sure which one died.

When you follow the clues without your Partridge blinders on, they all fit just as well as they did for Partridge. So here I am, two weeks from the big reveal and I'm changing my mind to one of the Kirkland brothers.

Kirkland (guess which one) is red john ... I am sure ... All evidence is there ,in various ways... You just need to see them....
The main problem here is that you complicate every single theory to the point where every suspect can be red john... but if you look with open eyes and mind you will se what i see...and then you will be sure as i am ...

Ben Marx was killed in Red Listed by Kirkland because of Jane's fake list.  Marx smelled of PINE and the place Kirkland owns is in the woods -- this suggests that the man who was Rosalind Harker's lover is a Kirkland -- Michael or Bob, I don't know.  Whether or not this is RJ I don't know for sure either.  Not entirely convinced all the people we think are RJ really are. 

BUT, definitely think a KIRKLAND is Harker's lover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxqpy8H35os

Definitely him ! Relentless, manipulating, red tie, this is a the moment when you ghost just pass across you and you didn't notice it, just feeling eerie. Ok that is not so logical..but intuitive.

Money on Kirkland. Trust me, RJ wants to bring down Tiger Tiger, and uses Jane to unmasked the secret society
among the 7 suspects, 3 are Tiger Tiger big boys, 2 are visualizer clan, Brett Partridge, must got to do with story from the carnival thing (anyway he is dead) , and the one with missing twins, not visualizer and not Tiger Tiger. boom. 

I am sure its the twins conspiracy, with a solid story from the past where all suspect are interconnected, and the RJ bros coming for a revenge to Tiger2, visualiser, and brett, and maybe young Jane who used to faked his psychic for money. 

The gun to kill Kirkland was taken from the half shadowed driver, could be faked.. or one bro down. Ouch..

Mentallist in general is a show to trick your mind and eye believing something that quite twisting the truth, giving you fake cards to leading you to wrong interpretation, then reveal the truth at the other unexpected end.

Beware don't look too close, the closer you look the less you see.....

I read the idea on youtube actually. That RJ could be Michael Kirkland, Robert Twin Brother.
So when BH said that RJ is ON THAT LIST he wouldn't be entirely wrong.

Partridge is dead. McCallister, Bertram and Reed are just minions of RJ, Haffner obviously is not. Brett Stiles I think still could be.

But I would put my money on Michael Kirkland.

NOT ACTUALLY BOB KIRKLAND...HIS TWIN BROTHER MICHAEL!

I believe that Red John is Michael Kirkland.

He is only believed to be dead. He was a 'wild child', Bob tried to help him out, but didn't succeed. He was the victim of an abusive father which would tend to suggest he was not mentally stable and was exposed to violence at a very young age. 

I believe he joined visualize where he would have worked on the visualize farm, taking Acid etc this is where he started his killings.

In one of the more recent episodes, Bob Kirkland asked "do you recognize me" to Haibach..which I think is a clue from the writers.

Finally, it makes sense that Patrick wouldn't recognize Michael as another person he shook hands with, because he would have thought it was Bob Kirkland.

I really don't have any theories who is red john but I always hope it would be bob kirkland, but now he is dead his twin would be a great choice. I really like the way the actor  played kirkland. He made kirkland into such a unique and original character. Kirkland has all the charisma, mysterious, creepy weird vibe and I'm sure his twin wouldn't be that different. I think he made a perfect red john to me compare to other 6 suspects.