In adition to my theory 9581:

1) Lisbon obviously cannot know that Jane is taking down Tiger Tiger with his list of 7 (and not RJ) because she's too close to Bertram and Haffner.

2) Maybe RJ did not kill Partrigde just as revenge for Lorelei, but also to lure out some Tiger Tiger members to make the job easier for Jane, who's his one-time partner in this - untill Tiger Tiger is unraveled: from that point RJ becomes Janes archenemy again but will reveal his identity if he keeps his word.

3) The presence of Stiles in Janes landhouse could be very important because Red John cares for him and listens to him. Jane therefore wants to keep Stiles as close as possible, like a card he can play if RJ doesn't come trough.

Please read these point of what we think we know of RJ and let me know what you think of my Likely/Unlikely of each item...Spoilers all seem to point to Gale, but I'm just not sold...

Red John
has short straight hair (as described by Rosalind Harker)(assuming their
current hair)


Likeliest
- Partridge, Haffner


Sort-of - Kirkland,
Reed (though Kirk is sort of fluffy styled and Reeds is more buzzed)


Not Likely
- McAllister (curly-ish), Gale (bald), Stiles (spikey)

 


RJ Has
good Posture



Likeliest
- Haffner


Sort-of -
Everyone else but Stiles


Not Likely
- Stiles

 



Worked at
Visualize Farm



Likeliest
- McAllister or Partridge ( most likely that this could be in their past without
someone knowing or could has gaps in their history that would be acceptable
from prying eyes)


Sort-of -
Kirkland (his self-told backstory allows this for him or his brother but as a
Homeland agent seems unlikely it wouldnt be traceable). Haffner (is in
vizualize, age appropriate, could have a fuzzy resume 20yrs back)


Not Likely
- Bertram, Stiles, Smith (all have positions or notoriety that would seem to
have a history that would have acceptable gaps in it or would indicate they
were working at a farm at a time when they would have to be building their
current career).



Charismatic
in regard to woman being fascinated


Likeliest
- Haffner (probably most universally attractive of the 7)


Not Likely
- Bertram and Stile (not attractive), 
Partridge and Kirkland (Probably awkward looking to women though
Kirkland may be a type that women like), Smith (fugly), McAllister (hes my
sort-of here, as he could be a type and considered masculine/handsome by some).



Charismatic
in regard to people following him


Likeliest
- Stiles


Not Likely
- The rest (none show this attribute, especially Gale Bertram as he actually
has moments where he is meant to be charismatic or appealing ..press
conferences..and he does OK at it but not phenomenal).



Someone pointed out: "I wonder why
the two of you didn't become lifelong friends
the moment you shook hands."  To me this implies they shook hands
a long time ago



Likeliest-
Hafner and Kirkland and McAllister (They both seem as if PJ could have met them
20 yrs ago..except McAllister... at a carnival or something as teens and look a
lot different to PJ now. McAllister could have crossed paths with PJ years ago
without mustache etc... He also seems to have quite a familiarity to PJ in how
he interacts with him, suggesting a lengthier familiarity/comfort than we see
on the show )


Sort-of -
Reed (maybe he didn't weigh 800 pounds many years ago)


Not Likely
- Bertram/Stiles (No way PJ doesn't also consider the "shook hands a long
time ago" idea and realize that Gale and Stiles would likely not be so
dramatically different physically from a recognizability standpoint than 20 or
30 years ago)
 
Actor
remarks in TV guide "Last thing I ever expected." This is all on me,
but I assume this to be a less known less worked actor and someone who has not
been as active on the show or as "obvious" a choice.


Likely -
Haffner and Kirkland (not well known, joined show late, and really appears
written as a red herring after thought. Kirkland also drops to the unlikely
list, as he sounds creepy like C.Walken and therefore might not be a surprise
that he is a villain). Partridge (was killed off, not well known actor).  Reed Smith (the unlikeliest on everyone's
list)


Unlikely -
Bertram and Stiles (McDowell is a great actor and around forever with many
iconic roles, seems an unlikely statement unless being humble. The actor who plays
Bertram has been around forever and has a few well recognized roles elsewhere).



PJ in TV
Guide interview "where they could be alone"...to kill RJ..and from TV
guide "his character, one of the seven."


Likely -
Any single one of the 7 (including Bob/Mike Kirkland) on the list except
Partridge. I like the idea of Brett being RJ and being killed by the Tyger
Tyger, but that is now unlikely. We know he's dead. Kirkland may have faked his
death or one of the Kirklands is dead and one is alive.


Unlikely -
Partridge (obviously), The idea of Red John as a group of many ("where
they could be alone" implies PJ and one other)

 



Also TV
Guide spoilers may not be that at all. They could be from a dream someone has
in the next episode, or anything else. I'd like to think the stills/photos
approved for TV Guide would not be signed-off on if they revealed anything
other than mis-direction.


I still
have no idea who I really think is RJ but the actors I can most see PJ
straddling and looking into the eyes of before killing him is in order


Haffner


McAllister


Stiles
  really don't think it is Stiles, but could you imagine that scene...whoa.

Allright let's take a big loop here. 


1)

Lorelei wasn't killed by Red John. She was killed by the Tiger Tiger clan, which Partridge was a part of. At S05E22 he misspoke.
The photographer asks, after Partrigde stated RJ layed down for years: 'RJ killed recentely, didn't he?' Partridge now realizes his little mistake and talks himself out of it: 'Euh, Lorelei Martins was an intern affair, that doesn't count.' But he actualy knows the truth: Tiger Tiger killed her, and he made it look like a RJ killing just as he did several times before (not always that good cause Jane saw through the details). They killed Lorelei to irritate RJ (who didn't know anything about what she said to Jane about shaking hands) and maybe because she shot a cop before - or she knew some things.

Now, what about the DVD and the list of 7? It definetely was a trick, but, once again, one by Jane himself. He made the DVD when he was still with Lorelei (who was thankful to him for saying the truth about her sister) in case she would die. When she does, the DVD helps Jane to misdirect Lisbon (and via her the rest of the team) about the suspects. She now for sure falsely believes that these are the RJ suspects. 

The DVD that the woman who stole the child in S05E22 really handed over, was a complete different one, by RJ himself. He cuts Jane a deal, that even Lisbon cannot know: if Jane helps him to dismantle the Tiger Tiger conspiracy, he will reveal his identity. Jane takes the deal and start hunting for the Tigers, which he allready knew of, and those are the people that his list of 7 contains (probably he also suspected Haffner and Kirkland to be a Tiger, Partridge surely was one - why Stiles is on that list seems unclear). He uses RJ as bait.

RJ meanwhile takes revenge for Lorelei's death and kills Partrigde, a key link in the chain of Tigers. Bertram and both Smith look worried after reveiving the news of his death. 'You sure it's him?'
Now things are getting loose and one of the Tigers goes after RJ's new spy, the private investigator. Not RJ who killed her. RJ isn't killing too much; he is getting desperate to become friends with Jane. Kirklands death is double: it both fits the Tigers and RJ cause Kirkland was tracking down the two of them.


2)

Stiles is wanted by the FBI, thus by Reede Smith. They want to question him about two murders from over 20 years in the past, this must be about the Red Barn killings in 1988 by RJ. Stiles hides at the ambasade because he feels that they're closing in on RJ, and he wants to protect him (maybe he knows about Smiths overagressive style of interviewing and is genuinely afraid). Could be Haffner is RJ, and by accident also got on Janes Tiger Tiger-list. Then it could be someone completely different.


3)

Is there a link between Visualize and the Tiger Tiger clan? Probably, and that link is probably Red John.

I think it's Haffner, but who knows.
I think one of Jane's team is in Tyger tyger. Probably Cho. He feeds info to RJ

I was convinced since end of season 5 that it was McAlister, now I know it is HAFFNER. Next weeks promo has a young kid portraying Haffner in his youth. I think that is a giveaway that he is RedJohn.

Hi Everyone:) It is not exactly a Red John theory but oh well!!

It is interesting to see how the investigation of finding Red John is going... I've been watching the Mentalist for many years and all I hope is that the reveal of Red John is not going to be disappointing....

From all the suspects on the list, I really would like it to be Ray Haffner because he has that charm, mental and physical attributes that seems to fit the profile of Red John. However I am not convinced that he is Red John though...  I really hope that Red John is not Reede Smith or Bertram- that will be disappointing.

But I would prefer if  none of the seven suspects are Red John. I think it would have been a smarter move to have someone not on the list to be Red John. It would have been more exciting if all of us didn't actually have prior knowledge to the seven suspects- until the last Red John episode!

So far I found I have enjoyed the first four episodes of this season. However I found the episode of the Red Tattoo and the most recent episode to be slightly boring and predictable. The writers better make a huge twist!!! Spoiler- The fact that more than one suspect had the tattoo was very obvious.

Come on guys, how can Bertram be Red John?? If someone is bald, he doesn't have short straight hair. And he doesn't have a soft voice, it's the opposite. If Bruno Heller chooses him, he has a lot of explaining to do because it all doesn't make sense at the moment.

In fact, the only person who has a gentle voice and short straight hair is Haffner. I know people here come up with complicated theories and clues, but sometimes we just have to look at simple facts.

But I'm starting to think like hundreds of others here, that Red John is not someone from the list.