Ok people, you all know that there are a lot of Partridge theories on this website but I promise you that this is different. This explanation is tidy, tight, logical and could really wrap up the Red John case with no loose ends. I am not going to shout at you that Partridge is Red John just because I want him to be.

Even though my theory could crumble by the time episode 7 comes out, here goes nothing.

I suspect Partridge. OMG HE'S DEAD. Yeaah...no. He's death was inconclusive and was not shown properly on TV. You know who is REALLY dead? Kirkland. He is no longer a suspect because he has 6 BULLET HOLES IN HIS BODY. This was the means to ensure that nobody ever thinks of Kirland again and everybody puts emphassis on the remaining suspects. 

My theory is that Partridge too has the tattoo. This is given by the "big clue" Bruno Heller told us was in the ending of episode 1, season 6. The fact that he whispers "tyger, tyger" seemed really pointless and random, but it was the work of a real Red John, one that lives up to his name. 

He faked his own death. It really would not be that hard. He is a psychopath, and a coroner, and it wouldn't be hard for him to inflict several non-lethal wounds to himself. He would know how to do it without bleeding to death.

So, what is key to me to think that it is him is that he wanted Teresa to see him die. Teresa is arguebly the only person Jane trusts and the most honest person on the show and hearing from her that Partridge is dead would make him cross him off the list. Or at least that is what Red John would like to think. He said it himself "untill you catch me, or I catch you". So it would not be such an inconvenience for Brett Partridge to dissapear from his "normal" life.

He didn't kill Teresa so that she could tell Jane that Partridge is dead. He, of course, had an accomplice - which is really not that important (could be Kirkland's brother, or another guy, like Reede Smith, doesn't really matter), - an accomplice who would grab Teresa just as she saw Partridge die (but fast enough so that she woulndn't feel his pulse or anything).

After that, people from Tyger Tyger would take Partridge's "body" away without anyone noticing (it wouldn't take more than 4 people at maximum).

So this is my theory.