I think that RJ is Walter. I'm agree whit the reasons that the reader "mashburn23" explain, this was his message ""Firstly is obvious
that Red John is a powerfull and well connected man. We can see this
because he can afford a limo and also several resources, such as software to
spy on CBI and to hack there network. Besides when RJ kills his copycats we can
see his wearing a suit and good shoes(killing the copycats wasnt a planed kill
so he must likely went to kill them with what he was wearing in his
normal life). So i will assume that he is rich, I will consider him a
well sucefull business man. He is also very persuasive, and bored with his
life, needs excitement (if u check mashburn's episodes you can see that he fits
the profile, and for some reason in one of his episodes a lot of ppl are
wearing red clothes). On the first season it was wrote on the
wall "he is Ma", which could be " he is Mashburn". And
Finally We know that patrick Jane meet RJ already. This is my opinion, sry for some grammatical errors"


I want to add, if, finnally, Walter is RJ, it will be very exciting because lisbon was in love with him!! In addition, RJ knows that the best way to damage Jane is attacking his family, and, now, Lisbon is the person most important in his life!

Firstly is obvious that Red John is a powerfull and well connected man. We can see this because he can afford a limo and also several resources, such as software to spy on CBI and to hack there network. Besides when RJ kills his copycats we can see his wearing a suit and good shoes(killing the copycats wasnt a planed kill so he must likely went to kill them with what he was wearing in his normal life). So i will assume that he is rich, I will consider him a well sucefull business man. He is also very persuasive, and bored with his life, needs excitement (if u check mashburn's episodes you can see that he fits the profile, and for some reason in one of his episodes a lot of ppl are wearing red clothes). On the first season it was wrote on the wall "he is Ma", which could be " he is Mashburn". And Finally We know that patrick Jane meet RJ already.
This is my opinion, sry for some grammatical errors

First let's look at the obvious:

I've read countless of theories as to Jane, Van Pelt, Cho, Rigsby and Lisbon being Red John.

Jane: why would he murder his own wife & daughter - and cry when visiting their grave for the first time since the funeral. A serial killer is most likely a sociopath, like the tippy-top dog in the Biker gang from earlier episodes.

Van Pelt: same here, doesn't fit the description of a serial killer either.

Rigsby: sure, if you exclude his physique and just focus on his mellow voice - then yes, he's a possible subject. But that's about it. All the evidence points towards a shorter male, less muscles and a probably a lot smarter. Yes this could be an image, but it doesn't mitigate the fact that he's too tall.

Cho: well, if you make him talk like he's covering his nose with his fingers, then sure. But on my accounts - he's too short! And a lot more muscular than the encounter with the Film Makers.

Lisbon: smiles constantly, fake but convincing breakdown in the conspiracy episode against her, so that leaves us with the possibility that it might be her, considering sociopaths understands emotion but does not feel for other people - so yes: if she really is pretending to be happy most of the time, then yes, she's a suspect. Other than that: she's a... Well... A she. We've got convincing evidence pointing towards Red John being male.


I suspect that it's Walter Mashburn.
He's intrigued by murder. He did mention that if he were to kill someone, he'd make the person disappear - sure. But doesn't mitigate the fact that he's thought of killing.
He has the money, and well... In the US - anything can be bought with money.
I don't recall that well whether his voice is sort of mellow or is in any other way - standing out. But as far as I'm concerned - you can easily fake an accent or pitch. I mean, I personally have a very dark voice - that when I talk my desk vibrates. But I can still pitch my voice and sound like a 13 y/o just entering puberty.
And as mentioned: he's well connected, thus leaving just one thing unsolved:
I can't recall whether he's entrigued by masks, but during the Film Maker episode, Red John wears a mask, he probably did that in case someone got away and was able to catch a glimt of his face - but still, in all the other episodes, he shows his face, to the young girl, and yade yade yada -- although wearing a BASEBALL cap.

People have mentioned that Van Pelt's father is a likely suspect for this, being a Handball coach (Football is when you kick the ball around with your FEET not catch the ball with your HANDS) - but we've been told so many times before that Red John is wearing a Baseball cap.
So unless Van Pelt's father coaches Handball, but is more facinated by Baseball that he wears his Baseball cap when sending messages to Jane and Handball cap ordinarily - then he doesn't make a good suspect.



Summary:

Van Pelt, Cho, Rigsby and Lisbon - are all very unlikely suspects due to the fact that they are the most likely suspect, as to how close they work with Jane.

I can't picture Jane killing his wife & daughter.

Virgil: VERY likely suspect, but still too convenient - considering the Limousine chat between him and the FBI agent.

Bret Stiles: sure, but he's too convenient as well. He appears quite often, and more often nowadays. Maybe it's a build up for something, or maybe it's a cover for something else.

Mashburn was mentioned in the notebook Jane carries with the list of whom he has shooken hands with. But he's mentioned a lot less than Bret Stiles is.

Of course - Jane shook his hands and they Have to include him in that list. BUT!!! - Why list him on the page that the camera shoots for over 5 seconds, why not have him on the page that Jane turns over shortly before the episode ends?


There might be something to that, because I seriously doubt that they would include a persons name who's been in what? Two (2) episodes? And both of them revolving around Red John.


These are just things that I've come across reading this website, I haven't watched the earlier episodes.

I reckon that we won't know for sure who Red John is before he's finally revealed, maybe one(1) episode before that.
Especially not before Patrick Jane knowns - that's for sure.

it's walter mashburn for many reasons: 
1) in the first season one of RJ victims wrote on the wall with his own blood: "he s ma" 
2) Mashburn has power and money for being a killer
3) he is white and has power enough to kill
4) in the last episode his name is in the book PJ is writing.
5) he has a soft voice

Red John is NOT (1) a woman (ii) Patrick Jane.  Red John is (i) someone with resources, charm, and connections (ii) someone Jane has met previous to season five, episode 8. (iii) extremely smart 

Assuming it's not some random rich dude from a past case, Walter Mashburn, Bret Stiles, and Gale Bertram seem to be the only people with the necessary connections, resources, charm, and mental capacity.  

I just can't picture Gale Bertram having the charm to manipulate people the way Red John does. It also seems rather cliched. The head of the CBI is Red John. I think Bertram is likely one of Red John's people, but not actually the man himself.  

Bret Stiles just seems too obvious. He is also too upfront. He openly manipulates people. He openly runs a powerful organization. Why sneak around killing people? Why moonlight as the mysterious Red John? It doesn't fit with his character. 

That leaves Walter Mashburn. He also seems a bit obvious. However, he has the charm, the connections, the resources, and the motive (boredom). 
There just doesn't seem to be anyone else who could plausibly be Red John. 

in my opinion RJ is Walter Mashburn because 1)from all the other suspects is the one that seems to be the least smart one to be RJ 2) he is so happy
 when he is around P.J. and he trusts him 3)the meaning of walter's name is "ruler of the army".4) he is rich and he has connections

I think your theorie has some edge. The only argument i would put
against it, is that he starred in only two (i think) episodes. Which is
not a lot. But for the rest i think he fits the glove.

1. he is
NOT PJ. I think that theory is really bullshit. You cant hold on to a
"fight club" like scenario for so many seasons. Ridiculous theory in my
opinion.

2. All female suspects. It's defintely a he.

3.
anyone within the cbi-team. (and then i mean the close colleagues. They
are far too caught up in catching criminals and much to serious about
it, AND just not smart enough.

So if RJ is a lot like PJ then we need to look at the characteristics of PJ:

he is: charming (especially to women), manipulative, unconventional, nihilistic to a certain extend and playfully competitive,

Besides
that he needs to have a lot of money to organize all these tricks he
played on Jane and i think he should be good looking enough to
accompany his manipulative charms. (Which kinda deletes Laroche and
Minelli for me)

Furthermore he has a fucking big ego (he took
vengeance on Janes portrayal on TV) but i am sure he would charm his ego
away unless he would be pushed to the very limit.

I believe
that no one in real life could really be Red John, and have so much
power over so many people (the only one would come near would be a sect
leader like Styles, which is a little too obvious suspect)

But
if I'd need to pick one on character then i'd also go for Washburn. He
had the same playfullness as Jane, likes to manipulate, likes to
outsmart the other, likes to take risks because of the boredom of
everyday existence (which makes him suitable for a nihilistic  American
Psycho 's Bateman-like character, and has enough time and wealth to keep
Jane busy.

So i go for Washburn too.