Who is Red John?

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Bob Kirkland

Bob Kirkland
Suspected in 751 theories

THE THEORIES

It's Bob Kirkland.
Not because he's acting strange and makes strang faces all the time.
Remember when he murders the guy in the hospital? He asks him to take a good look at him and tells him if he knows who he is.
Now remember what the false RJ said to Jane in the last episode of season 3 before he kills him? He says it's time he changes his face and moves on!
So Kirkland could be Red John after plastic surgery. So he had an other face, which we used to see in previous seasons. Who could he be? One we used to see, but not any more.

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The most obvious suspect is Bob Kirkland. In fact, I think it's so obvious that many of us have gone in a different direction thinking that Heller would never make it that obvious. Then there's the hospital scene. If Kirkland is looking for RJ himself, then why not question him about RJ before killing him? I think that scene is meant to throw us off, while at the same time building the suspense around Kirkland. If he turns out to be RJ, it will be explained why Lennon didn't recognize him, which  could be for a number of reasons. Kirkland could merely be working for RJ, but he has only interacted (on screen anyways) with Bertram, and he seemed to be the higher power in that scene.

Kirkland looks, acts, and sounds like he could be RJ, more than any other of the suspects. Haffner was served up to us last episode, but if you watch his past appearances, he has been outsmarted by PJ, and talked down to by Bertram. In fact, before this season, Haffner had done nothing to make you wonder what he was up to, other than his involvement with Visualize.
Then there is the Kirkland handshake scene. The only one of the seven suspects to have their initial handshake showcased dramatically on screen, complete with ominous music. Finally, Kirkland is one of only two suspects not to have appeared yet this season, which sets him aside for something. We'll see.

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I think that Patrick Jane has already figured out who Red John is, but he does not want to let Lisbon and the team in on what he knows. He wants to set the trap for Red John in his own way, and he has been doing that by acting scared and pompous at times to make Red John think he is off of his game. In almost every episode the team does not know what is going on until Jane solves the crime, so why would Red John be any different? 

Also, I think it's obvious that Jane knew that as soon as he told Lisbon about the suspects that she would tell the team. They have worked too long together for him not to know that. Therefore, he is just controlling the information they have, while also making them think they are on the same level as him. The reason he is doing this is because he knows Lisbon would not allow him to seek his revenge, and also because Red John has eyes and ears within the CBI. As the second episode of season six proved, Red John cannot read Jane's mind, and the only way Patrick Jane can keep his plan secret from Red John, is by only allowing it to stay within the confines of his mind.

Also, I believe Red John will end up being Bob Kirkland. Bob has done some very obvious things that would put us off his trail like killing Jason Lennon in the hospital, and having Homeland agents steal Patrick's board. On stealing the board, the reason I think it is Bob is because he is the one examining it and trying to figure it out, and I cannot see him passing that task off to one of his minions. He wanted to go head to head with Jane, and come out as victor. Also, I think it is very telling that Kirkland asked Lennon if he recognized him, and he said no; I think we are deliberately being put off Bob's trail by the writers of the show. We know Red John has great mind control over his disciples, and Lennon saying no can be easily explained. Also, the fact that Bob kills Lennon himself is another way the writers are trying to divert our attention from him, because Red John's friends are usually the ones that clean up these messes, so we think Bob must be a friend and not the real deal. However, in this situation it had to be Red John himself, because he was able to kill Lennon and never be suspected by authorities, but clearly Jane is suspicious.

Additionally, Red John is highly intelligent and is able to manipulate people into following him. Bob appears to have great control over Gale Bertram and other people that are high up in the CBI and FBI. He also keeps a relative distance from Jane and keeps a meek disposition when Jane is around, which is another "red" flag, no pun intended. He knows that he cannot let Jane get too close because Jane would see him for what he really is. This is one reason I believe it could not be Ray Haffner, because Haffner has been popping up and asking strange questions and not acting like a man that has Red John's stature. I think Haffner believes if he catches Red John before Jane, then Lisbon will want to be with him.

Also, Bob appears to be very gentle as Rosalind Harker describes, and he appears to be intrigued with Lisbon. Ray Haffner strikes me more as a bull in a china shop type, and is inflated by his own ego. I think for Red John to be able to possess so much influence and mind control he would have to be more like Bob, because maybe the people do not even realize what has happened to them until it is done.

The last thing that puts him in my sights is that Bob has not shown up in any of the episodes thus far. I realize that Bret Stiles has not either, but it was odd that Bob would not have been in that meeting with Bertram, McAllister and Smith. Or was he in the back room like before, listening as Jane barges in pompously declaring that Red John made a mistake?

Also, I want to see J.J. LaRoche come back and help Jane set the trap for Red John. Also, I want to know if Lorelei still alive and if she will play some role in helping Jane? Anyways, I am just some food for thought. What do you think?



 

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I don’t know who is RJ. But I think we have to focus on RJ appearances.

Let’s take a look at 2x23 (Red Sky In The Morning) and 6x01 (The Desert Rose), when masked RJ appears and talks to Jane.
First of all, look at his body, watch his legs and feet (2x23). We can already exclude Reed Smith, Bret Stiles and Gale Bertram (pay attention to the legs!). 
Focus on his voice and the vocal timbre, try to imagine the remaining suspects saying those words.
This sentence is very important: "Sorry Patrick, Teresa can't come to the phone right now..." (6x01).
We can exclude Thomas McAllister (definitely not his voice), Brett Partridge (he's dead, and btw Jack Plotnick said that his voice was never used for RJ), and Haffner (the voice doens’t match – I know he’s the only one who calls Lisbon by her name but it doesn’t matter).

Now take a look at these 2 episodes: 

Ep 5x18:  “Behind the Red Curtain” 
- Kirkland talks to Jason in the hospital. Just focus on his voice when he’s whispering
- Jane arrives but it’s too late, then he asks Kirkland what happened. And Kirkland says “Patrick, I’m sorry…”. Compare this sentence with “I’m sorry Patrick..” (6x01). 
The similiarities with the masked man are fairly evident. Same timbresame pronunciation.
 
I’m sure that Kirkland is the masked man. And I know that many of you will say Kirkland can’t be Red John, and you are right. 
The masked man, in fact, is NOT Red John, but his right hand. His Red Right Hand.

Ep. 2x08: Minelli speaks to journalists regarding his agents deaths. Right after that, Lisbon goes to talk to him, and he acts like he’s waiting for someone. In that moment you see a well-dressed black-hair man at the gate, he’s just arrived with a limo and Minelli is waiting for him. 
He’s Kirkland. 
The name of this episode is “His Right Red Hand” and this is the first time you see Bob Kirkland in Mentalist, right hand of RJ, arrived to keep an eye on the situation and sacrifice Rebecca in the end if she will get caught. 

Bob Kirkland is the most important RJ disciple (remember when he said at the hospital “I’m a friend. Let's face facts Jason. If you recover, and live, you'll spend life in prison for murder at the play thing of monsters. I just hope, that if I am ever in your shoes, I have a friend close enough to do this for me”). 

He did murders and stuff for his master, he seduced Rosalind Harker (the description fits).He was the patient of Sophie Miller. 

Sophie, in Black-Winged Redbird (6x02), said that RJ had probably a real phobia: Kirkland touch two times and polish off Jane's suit, in Behind The Red Curtain (5x18), without a reason. This is called Rupophobia, and also with other names, and is the phobia of dust and dirt. She said also that RJ is a good whistler: many suspect are seen whistle in this episode; but, for an istant, in Red Letter Day (5x19), we see Kirkland whistling in the office of Homeland Security.

Conclusion

>  Kirkland is RJ right hand. 
Partridge is dead. Don’t know if he was involved.   
Stiles and Jane are almost friends (they helped each other), and he knows information about RJ (for sure he’s not him).  
Haffner – he can’t be RJ.   [RJ would never: Admit he’s from visualize - Not answer when Lisbon asked if he was at the barn - Said “I like You” to Lisbon / He’s neither rich (private agency of investigations – money from Visualize) nor powerful.]   
McAllister and Reed Smith – they are involved in something but I don’t know if it concerns RJ   
Bertram – my bet is on him. …….I feel some weird vibes…..   :)   

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Kevin Corrigan played as Bob Kirland. Tends to play a bad character in any movie you see with him in it. I would figure he is Red John in that perspective matter. I cant see why some other people are still assuming other than the 7 listed would be Red John. Bret Patridge is dead for good.

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My theory is that not any of these indivuals is actully red john and that "red john" is a secret government agency used to kill potential threats and dangers using the alias of rj. I believe that all 7 suspects are aware of the red john agency and somehow involved. I belive that Jane has been aware of this fact for sometime now. The reason "red john" was able to predict the 7 suspects is because the agency sent 2 agents to retrieve the info from janes chambers "toothpick scene". This is also why Kirkland killed the guy in the hospital when he said he saw Red john The reason Partridge was killed is because he was going to rat out "red john". The reason Jane has not taken out red john by now is because he does not know how to (who to turn to) as all of the top officials are aware of the real red john. The reaon rj has not killed Jane yet is because the red john agency wants Jane to eventually become there new leader.

p.s its pretty obvious now that how red john stole the memory from Jane now while red john was killing Sophie he retrieved the info from her

"red john" is not as smart as he seems.

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