Long time reader, first time poster. The posts on here are always interesting - even the wackos going overboard analyzing symbolism (you guys do know that kind of baseless runaway pattern recognition is the source of religion right? assuming not too many mentalist fans are religious...) and accusing PJ xD Though a RJ=PJ ending would be crazy and bold and interesting, this post will make several assumptions that exclude that theory:

1. Rosalind Harker. Anyone who knows the slightest thing about law, especially it's practice in the courts, know that eye witness testimony is very dodgy. Not being funny but Harker can't even see. Her description is something to keep in mind but FAR from concrete. Also, Jane doesn't seem to put too much stock in it based on the list of 7. And it's several seasons ago. Actors are hired on a per season basis - pretty sure they didnt know who RJ would be back then, or they had someone else in mind.

2. Bruno Heller is playing no games when he says that PJ=/=RJ and that the list is legit. Second part is slightly dubious. Heller did NOT say absolutely that RJ is on the list. Find the quote yourself but it was something like 'I can say for sure the list is genuine' and then 'there will be no more games from here on out.' Take from that what you will.

3. Partridge is dead. The actor has been involved for a long time, I would be surprised if he would go and say that if a) it were true, or b) without permission. They just don't want confusion because no one takes anything for face value on the show anymore!

4. Jane's psychiatrist's description of J Roth is accurate AND J Roth = RJ. This is very controversial but based on Heller's previous comments and the fact that RJ will soon be revealed AND the show is going clue-happy this season... Yeh it seems legit to me.

OK so what's my theory? Don't have one. Well... Haffner fits best at the moment in my opinion but I would prefer Kirkland or Bertram. Those 3 MUST be the front runners by elimination:

1. Partridge. Deceased.

2. Styles. Does not fit with 'middle-aged'. The rest could pull it off. People writing off Bertram (old) or Smith (young) just doesn't work - not concrete enough. Alot of people could see either suspect being descibed as middle-aged (I can) but very few would say that about Styles... Besides, Robin Tunney joked in an interview about Styles being too big a name (not good for character + too much money to cast) and I think that makes sense. Also, he wouldn't hurt a fly ;)

3. Smith. Jane's ex-psychiatrist described J Roth as physically fit. Smith would not be able to hide his size.

4. Like my 4th assumption, this is controversial but I think we can eliminate McAllister. He only appeared in one episode before season 6. Don't get me wrong, he is a great actor (watch 'The Booth At The End' either on Hulu or be a man and torrent it, he is awesome in it) and a satisfying ending could be made with him as RJ but I don't see it... ONE episode...


So. Front runners by a mile in my book at least:

!
HAFFNER
!
BERTRAM
!
KIRKLAND
!

Now, important but ambiguous clues we should all be thinking really hard about and I will be checking this site and others feverishly for ideas:

1. The birds! There is something huge there. Popular theory is a fear of birds (pigeons in particular? I don't know birds...).

2. The wrong name in the hospital!!! So slick this show I thought nothing of it at the time and only was reminded of it about 20 posts down. Way too random to be thrown in for kicks. What is the significance of the name?? (Carmen something was it?)


Hope this post helped people / gave some food for thought. Continue the great discussion! Only a couple months and episode 8: RED JOHN!

Did you notice what Haffner was whistling on his way out from Lisbon's hospital room? I could have sworn it was "little cabin in the woods" which is a children's song that depicts a little rabbit who is being watched through a window by an old man. The old man is watching the rabbit who is "as frightened as can be". This fits with the whole red John personality. He is after all the hunter, watching the frightened rabbit. In the song, the rabbit is looking for help from the man not realizing that logically, he probably is the hunter. Also, he says to Lisbon, "we will have our time" which makes me think that he will leave Lisbon for last to kill-so he can take his time.

Alright, let's piece together what we learned from the latest episode, to the 6 suspects.

The recorded session mentions that Red John is middle aged and Healthy. We can eliminate Smith and Stiles right away from this. I would also say Bertram and McAlister as well, but that depends on your definition of middle aged.

I think that one episode with Kirkland really sealed him not being Red John, when he killed someone that knew his identity. He would have recognized him. I honestly think Kirkland wants to kill Red John, that's why he is trying to figure out who he is as well.

At this point,  I think it's Haffner. He just seems like the last "Logical" one left. I honestly thought it was going to be Partridge though, and we saw how that turned out. It was also very creepy how he visited her, and it personally seems like he was toying with her, since he knows that Jane gave her the list of suspects.

There is some more Evidence that needs exploring, like the whole nurse and "Carmen Lee" thing, this episode.

-Red John is definetely not a group of persons. Lorelei told Jane he shook hands with red John, so that means its one man.

-There are several reasons to believe that Red John is not on the 7 persons suspect list, but BH said that Red John is definetely on the list, so I see no reason to not believe him.

-Because of the meeting of Bertram,Reede and mcallister in the last episode I think neither of them are in fact Red John. I don't think Red John would meet these persons while anybody could see them, especially not at the CBI.

-Bret Stiles is indeed to old to be Red John.

-So if Partridge is really dead, Raymond haffner or Kirkland has to be Red John.

It's Ray Haffner! When Sophie mentions the excellent whistler they take our attention off Haffner by showing McAllister. Remember Haffner whistling at the hosital...
Middle age: This rules out Stiles and Bertram in my opinion.
In good health, showing Haffner doing his workout is a hint of this for me here. 
I think of Kirkland as Red John's right hand man. 

All the signs are pointing to Haffner for me ;)

Sophie Miller said the he is "is an excellent whistler"...they showed us the sheriff McCallister whistling in that right moment, but in the same episode we've seen Ray Haffner whistling too...I have three possibilities thought...Haffner,McCallister,Bob Kirkland...I'll watch all 29 (plus that ones of this season)Red John's episodes till 17th of november when there'll be the episode "Red John"

He is my bet through elimination IF Red John is one man.

Brett Stiles - Red John was said to be a Visualise member as a young man at the farm - Brett is older than the other people who were talking about the young guy, also, he is the founder/leader of the org.

Reed, McAllister, Bertram and Kirkland - All have had meetings together and none seemed like a leader.

(Kirkland and Bertram's meeting was just the two of them, however, Kirkland did seem superior)

Haffner - Fits the description, was a Visualise member at the right time. - odd one out.

Second guess - Kirkland seems like the leader of the other 3, but may not be involved at all)

Third guess - McAllister seems very Red John cult leader-ish