I haven't got this totallly worked out, but I suspect Red John is, or was, Angela Ruskin Jane.  "Ruskin Jane" can be literally translated as "Red John" or at least "Red haired John."  The evidence others have pointed to that point to Patrick are very compelling.  It is not inconceivable in this show that Jane, who has his nap problem is intentionally blacking out or has pre-programmed himself to obey "Red John."  

I suspect that Red John may have been his wife, themselves as a duo, or a complete fabrication applied after the fact to a serial murderer.  He may have faked his wife and daughter's death and buried his own knowledge of it in order to protect them from a greater threat, or criminal charges.  The spectacle and publicity were designed to make certain that the world at large believe they are dead, and that some other person's bodies were substituted,   

Perhaps she was a serial killer and he could not face this, but could not turn her in?  I think it is more likely that Red John is something they came up with pre-pilot episode to fake her death, and in the meantime he is stalking the actual threat to his family, who are in hiding somwhere. 

I have often wondered who killed Jared Renfrew. If it was RJ surely he'd have left Jane a smiley face? It's a faux pas clue. If RJ is one of the 7 on the list then Bertram or Stiles are the only powerful people we've met who could coerce others. Stiles has the power, charisma, etc, but has he the strength to physically kill? Bertram first called Jane The Boy wonder which was his name when working with Alex Jane. Also quote Blake poem and has sounded like RJ too! Not forgetting he was at the mall with Jane in Strawberries and Cream and was prime suspect as RJ's mole. Instead of being RJ maybe? But he's logical yet too obvious. So who is RJ? Easy. It's Alex Jane!

Some have theorized on the site that Partridge must be a goner b/c he is one of only two actors to appear in Epi 1, one of whom dies, but BP isn't listed as a cast member for the first episode. The RJ suspects appearing in Desert Rose are McCallister, Bertram and Smith. My hope is Reede doesn't survive. Bertram as a suspect adds so much tension to the season b/c he's the boss so he cannot be a victim so early and I don't want it to be McCallister b/c I want him to be RJ. Xander Berkeley would kick it, and I love the idea of Rock, Paper, Scissors as "the handshake". Seriously clever.

If not McCallister, then...here's another thought, but it's out there. Building on the theories that "he is many"...what if RJ is more than one person and always in law enforcement. Was Minelli the original RJ? Then, he "retired" and feeling to much pressure from PJ, he passed the torch to Bertram. Both are fisherman, a clue from the RJ disciple Kirkland killed. Kinda out there? Probably, but I always felt Minelli was RJ, and do we really need to "trust the list"? Heller is a television producer, after all, a seriously untrustworthy breed. :)

Not sure, but one thing I feel confident about is Kirkland is a victim, not perpetrator. He's on his own crusade which is why he keeps watch on Patrick.

Episode "Seven"is written by me (Jordan Harper) and i can guarantee CBI well seizure "Red John" At episode "Eight"

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The last episode is "13" and it's the last season of the mentalist , , =))

The very first and most important clue about Red John is that he either has a person in CBI or he is there by himself. In my opinion it's him because remember in the episode where Bosco died his lover was smiling at an approaching figure. However the cops around her ignored the figure which means that he usually is there or is not as important to be acknowledged. The woman also said that she is curious why Jane didn't become friends with him even though they had shaken hands. It means that RJ must be somewhere in Janes everyday environment. Another point is that RJ broke in to the computer software of CBI before. But what if he simply had an access to it? And who has access to most of the facilities in places like CBI? Access to the room in which friend of RJ had been burned? It has to be a man so we can exclude few possibilities (both of his lovers talked about a man) and an important figure like La Roche is too visible.

 In my opinion Red John is possibly one of the caretakers. 

i believe red john is jane's father, and bob  kirkland is his friend high up. bret stiles is involved because rj was with visualize once. but the only one who could have known the happy memory is jane's father, and rj's attitude towards jane is somewhat personal from the start. bob kirkland does seem creepy, and has killed for red john once already. partridge and sherrif do not seem to be suited since both do not follow every second of patrick's life... so final verdict, its jane's father Alex Jane.

I strongly believe TIMOTHY CARTER actually was the REAL RED JOHN.. and somebody else was copying his work, in order to gain the attention he had with his murders.. :)