At the visualize farm we know from "Red Barn",  two red headed women kill a member of Visualize.  According to the killer's story, her mother was being attacked.  The daughter killed a man, in self defense.  Mysteriously another murder was occuring; in fact, two murders were supposedly happening.  
I suspect that there were no other murders happening.  McAllister was called in as a friend by the mother of the shooter.  She needed police assistance.  She didn't want her daughter to go to jail, so she gets McAllister to help her out.  McAllister might be her ex-boyfriend or the girl's father.

McAllister shows up and gets rid of any witnesses.  However, one witness escapes (mysteriously).  Only people familiar with the farm knew about the underground room.  The mother knew about the room, and we know she did.  In the story, the daughter reveals that her mother knew about the room - since she had been out there (before).  

In order to track down this alleged witness, McAllister left an ensign.  He draws a smiley face in blood to make a trademark.  He plans on getting some publicity, so he can intercept the witness.  If the story got to the press, the surviving witness could come forward.  When he or she came forward, McAllister would be able to intercept the witness.  He would use his police badge to get information from other officers.

Since the attempt was unsuccessful, he needed to murder again.  He planned on luring out that witness, because he didn't want to be blackmailed nor arrested.  Truthfully, Visualize could have been blackmailing McAllister, but it is unlikely.  More murders meant the surviving witness could come forward, and he or she could solve the case.  More murders were a way for Red John/McAlister to try to get info about the surviving witness to his murders.

The reason for the victims being red headed is simple.  The girl who did the original murder was red headed, and her mother was red headed (or are red headed).  McAllister wanted to stimulate the witnesses memory of the events from that night, so they would come forward with his or her testimony - which could put McAllister in prison.

If Mcallister did get backmailed, the blake association could be a group of police officers being blackmailed.  McAllister could be a "drop", in the bucket.  However, there aren't a lot of criminal law enforcement, even though the B A  is a large organization.  It seems unlikely that many police would be a part of it, but they could be bribed.  Timothy Carter had a "slave" locked up, in his basement.  If she was pimped out to politicians, judges, police, or FBI , those "johns" could be blackmailed.  Red John might be a name chosen for being one of many "johns".

This always bothered me .
How did MAcalister become the leader if the BA.
How can a small time sheriff magically own thousands of lives with politicians and judges as well.
One must aquire power somehow , you cannot just start mafia from scratch! The illuminati (if real) wouldnt of been started by a firefighter. Jokes

The BA must have higher up with a lot more money and power still out there.
Where does the BA 's power trully come from? Visualize maybe?
Haffner's threat coming through?
Both he and styles faked their deaths and used Maclister as their pawn.

Side note of the new show:
Its pretty blatant that Fischer is the same is Van pelt. Both get called out by jane for having tramatic past experiences. Fischer saw a shrink GVP bottles it up and told no one not even herself.
Wylie is Rigsby. Awkward at first friends with cho and it magically smart at times with all the answers.

Red John has been McAllister this whole time.  Big clue is that Red John slices up his victims.  He must be a doctor with the knowledge he has of anatomy.  However, he could be an avid hunter, and Thomas McAllister is an avid hunter.

There is speculation about other people being Red John.  These theories aren't exactly true, because it was Thomas McAllister.  In order for those theories to be true,  McAllister would have to be a patsy or he took it upon himself to become acquainted with Red John to cover for someone he loves or he wants to protect (from Jane).

This person would need a story that is troubled.  Rigsby had a tough upbringing, but Lisbon has had an even tougher upbringing.  Her unnamed brother could be Ray Haffner.  Her father could have been killed by her brother, since her father almost killed one of her brothers.  Lisbon says about her father that "he almost killed" all of us.  Her brother could be upset about his mother being killed in a car accident by a drunk driver (he feels cheated).  His father beats him or his younger brother nearly to death.  He  then hides after killing his father in "self defense" on the visualize farm.  Lisbon was raised in Chicago, but she became a police officer in San Diego.  Visualize is a possible access to this better life through its farms.  Her or he brother go to college get degrees, and they become police.  Her dad was a firefighter, so the children probably got some scholarship.  Anyone of them could have made it.  

Possibly Ray Haffner fakes McAllister's death, and his own.  He sets up a meeting with Jane to reveal said coverup.  The coverup is realized, and the other bodies weren't investigated.  Red John could make that happen; McAllister almost got away with it.  As everybody is looking at McAllister, they realize he is Red John.  Truthfully, he probably did work with Red John or killed as Red John.  I believe he did the Red John murders that the show has revealed, but the other murders could have been someone else.  The killings before 2000 could be someone else.  Orval Tanner could be McAllister's friend;  Tanner is the reason everyone thinks Red John is old.  Orval Tanner dubs Smiley Face killer as Red John, and from there Red John is a notorious killer.  The original smiley face killer is still a mystery.

Please get over Red John. The Red John era is done, and is never coming back.

As far as Brett Partridge goes, the only reason most people think he is Red John is because he had a strange voice similar to the voice RJ used on the telephone and when he saved Jane's life. Partridge was a red herring at best.

Some people love how Red John was revealed, some hate it. Either way, there will be critics. Bruno Heller and the show made it very clear in the episode "Red John", who Red John is. If you cannot accept it, then that is your problem.

It's almost everyone expected Red John to be this invincible demon with horns and flames shooting from his mouth. He wasn't. After all the murders he did or had done, it turned out he was somewhat a coward. Heller even made it clear long before the reveal that Red John is just a normal man.

Heller dropped so many obvious hints who Red John was at the beginning of season 6. The boots Mcallister wore was one of the biggest hint.

Yes, I know they had no idea who RJ was when they shot the episode where RJ saved Jane's life from the copycats, but they knew everyone would remember the boots (so they thought). But instead, everyone tried playing detective by studying Red John's voice. If you say different -YOU'RE LYING!

Heller also threw out there when MacAllister talked about hunting anything with a 'face'. Another hint was when MacAllister did not want to climb the ladder BUT pointed out he had pointed boots on. Everyone thought he was scared of heights, then a few scenes later, he was on top of the church roof.

What did they show again?? THE BOOTS!

Bruno Heller also warned everyone! "You will be disappointed when Red John is revealed".

Get over the Red John era. He is dead, finished and that is that.

If you cannot accept that then you're in total denial...over a fucking tv show!!!!!!!

It's like you guys think the shit is real. IT's NOT!!

The following may seem like wishful thinking on my part, but I must say I a strong hunch that the Red John or Blake Association story isn't over yet, for sure. Let me explain my hunch (it's going to be long, so please bear with me)

1. After the Red John episode, I started watching seasons 1-6 all over again. And I realized that there are at least 3 episodes in a every season till date which involve RJ, and RJ playing the cat & mouse game, either to taunt Jane or keep himself "clean" by making some moves against Jane/CBI team. Such episodes are the premier, one mid-season episode and the season finale.

2. Things started making sense when the Blake Association was revealed. Which makes it very likely that RJ did in fact use the BA association to do his bidding (as mentioned in 6.07 by R.Smith).

And on a side note, I really have a feeling suggesting L'aroche is also a BA member. I mean, in season 3 we discover that he has a strange secret. Later, in the finale we in the scene where Gupta (who may also have been BA) was shot by L'aroche and you can see L'aroche acting mysteriously just as Gupta enters the car. Which makes even  more sense when we discover that L'aroche did in fact have horrible reason and he somehow managed to keep it in a box and quiet for 9 years or so if I'm correct.

And how do people in the show manage to keep secrets hidden? Answer- with the help of the Blake association. So it would make sense if Laroche comes back in the show and has something to do with the Blake Association.

3. In the mid-season episodes I mentioned before, RJ always has had to make a move to keep his hands "clean". For example- 1.11 with Jared Renfrew, 2.08 with Bosco and his team, 3.09 with Todd Johnson and later his buddy Montiero.

In s4 with Panzer and the morgue attendant/coroner. In s5 with Loreli and maybe the guy Kirkland killed. (supports the infamous twin theory). And now in s6, RJ by making the last move of his game (or was it the last?) and last week with the Ardiles killing (BA if RJ actually died).

4. Not to mention, the season finales have always been RJ playing games with Jane and the next premier episode showing the consequential/continuation of the previous.

So, it would make sense to think that the RJ (or the BA story-line) may not be over, yet. Heller and the team have stated in press-releases prior to the premier of s6 that "RJ will be revealed, i.e caught or killed by the end of 2013. 

And besides, The Mentalist, as we all can agree; is all about misdirection and twists.

Hence, wishful thinking or not, we can still expect a major twist from Bruno with something to do with RJ or the BA.

The person who killed Ardiles is sending a message to the ol' CBI. Jane's team are being "hunted" by the Blake Association. I suspect Wylie from the FBI. Followers of Red JOhn believe he was intelligent and respectable. They shared the same gnostic beliefs about their "soul" guidign them always doing god's work. Well, the theme of the killing that is about to go down is that the CBI gang is being hunted. Its a tribute to Red John, head of the Blake association. That message for G. VanPelt is the hunter stalking his prey. Ardiles could have been unsuspecting thinking he could lure in Lisbon for Tiger Tiger. However, the killer wanted them to know they are being "hunted' - because it is a tribute to Blake's poem Tiger, Tiger, which is about a hunter. Why would Ardiles call Lisbon about a "bugged" phone? Heller is bringing back the Blake Association. There might be some sniper shooting @ the old CBI gang. The motif will be that they are being hunted. Heller won't say it directly, but it will be implied. There might be traps set.  McAllister said "I've been a hunter most o'my life".  He was even hunting from his police cruiser, once when somebody called him.

Hey men what up ? 
NO JOKE FOR JAMES WTF ? LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td2-J7ptLXE&feature=youtu.be