Red John is a man and he is left handed I have checked with every male on the list could not find any male who was right handed but my theory of him being left handed is from a scene heres the screen cap

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121001235855/thementalist/images/thumb/1/13/
Roy_Tagliaferro.jpg/1000px-Roy_Tagliaferro.jpg
 
Jane doesnt ever hold his tea with his left hand. Holdin tea with your left thats a typical sign of being left handed.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lfgbopMSWZ1qflbkno1_400.jpg

My Suspects

Virgil Minelli
Brett Patridge
Walter Mashburn
Osvaldo Ardiles
Brett Stilles
CBI Ron
Bob Kirkland

the suspects are not in order of suspicious and as can you see its a bit different as patrick list i added 2 names and remove 3 or 4 i dont remember well

I've been considering Max Winter (played by Jack Coleman) a suspect since realising it was him who gave Jane the gun he used to shoot Timothy Carter. He could be either Red John, or one of Red John's followers.

First, the problems with the theory:

- Jack Coleman is 6' 2" (RJ is thought to be just under 6 foot)
- Jane doesn't shake hands with Winter (though they could always add a flashback)

Now, the points that have piqued my interest:

- In His Red Right Hand, where it's revealed Red John made a mistake, we find out that Carter Peak was buried in concrete on a construction site. Max Winter is a construction manager.

- Max Winter has lost his wife. A recurring theme with Red John is that he turns people close to a murder victim in to his followers (e.g., Lorelei Martins). The loss of his wife puts him in this position (either as Red John, or a Red John follower).

- In the episode where Max Winter appears, he plays some mind games with Jane and generally gives the impression he has an even darker side to him.

- Bruno Heller once gave a clue about Red John saying he likes the cold. Winter would fit.

- He gave Jane the gun. By the end of season 4, it's clear Red John is toying with Jane (e.g., trying to turn him in to a follower), and I think giving the gun was the first part in doing that.

Red John is Robert Kirkland.

His height is right.. He is bought into the plot as a suspicious character which is later verified as a key character in the pilot. In the mentalist they always play down a character as the show goes along and then they turn out to be the one they are lookign for. I think this will be reciprocated with Kirkland. He has strong connections to the FBI and works in homeland security himself. He looks the part and phsycially strong enough to lift the chair which Jane was strapped to in earlier series. Lorlei say's " they have met", also that they she doesnt know why they never became life long friends from the moment they met which suggests someone that isnt as close as the team but someone who jane has met and not established a close enough relationship. Bruno Heller said he would make us think twice as to who Red John is and I believe further into the series his role will be downplayed into one of the "good guys" so to speak. Keep an eye out for him. By the way I have been able to guess the murderer 8/10 times before any major clues have been revealed. The format of Heller has stuck into my head even though I cant explain it.

Red John is Tolmen Bunting...

18-5-4

He and Jane could have been friends which is a clue.

He is rich, and loves to play games, and is use to manipulating people into doing what he wants. 

He has money to influence anyone including police forces.  

He is good with computers and has a god complex to rule the world by hacking everyones personal information.  He can use their secrets and skeletons in their closets to manipulate them into doing his bidding..

The shop he owns in a front to hide his secrets and give him a secret identity. 

He also has a body guard for protection.

His voice also sounds like the voice of Red John in the first seasons last episode where he recited the poem Tiger Tiger...

He also was very upset that Jane beat him in chess which means they are intelectually equal but he wants to be more clever than Jane.

I think it's Robert Kirkland (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYzawWMeY_Q). 

I think that Red John is Dean Harken.