I know that the actors who play them aren't related, etc...but did it strike anyone that Gale Bertram looks A LOT like Sean Barlow?
I was just watching the last episode "Red John Rules" and couldn't help but make the connection when Barlow started talking about how Red John has "Powers"...
Does Barlow believe that Red John has powers because he is really a Barlow?  Maybe Gale is actually a Barlow, but changed his name somewhere along the way to Bertram.
This is obviously just a theory of mine, but it would kind of make sense if it was true as far as all of the "killing a childhood memory" goes.  
Let me know what you think!