I think the only way to solve this
is to eliminate the suspects one after the other. I did this for every suspect
I could think of but I will present here only the arguments concerning our
glorious Seven.
1) Brett Patridge - He is dead and
therefore not guilty.
2) Reede Smith - He doesn't fit the
description of Red John (not muscular, but not soft either) and the actor is
too tall.
3) Gale Betram - He is balding. I
think a lover would have noticed that and not told us that he has short,
straight hair.
 4) Robert Kirkland - He got the
information on Janes research after RJ killed Lorelei and before Jane narrowed
it down to the seven suspects. So, why bother if he is RJ?
5) Bret Stiles - He was my favorite
choice for RJ but things really do not add up. A) He is clever enough to kill
and get away with it. Why have another identity to kill? B) He has a vast network
through Visualize. Why go to the trouble to have another? C) He is too old. D)
He would not have needed Jane to flush out his potential enemies in Visualize.
He could have done it through his RJ personality much more easy. The Verdict:
Guilty, very guilty even, but he is not guilty of being RJ. But he might have
been the inspiration for the guy that ultimately became RJ.
6) Thomas McAllister - This was a
hard one. He fits the description, he is law enforcement. But is he mobile
enough? I'm no American, so I really don't know about this, but I think he
would have been in a lot of trouble hiding his second life to his people (Have
a look at Dexter and you see in how much trouble he is when he kills not in his
own arena). Then of course there was this episode back in season 2 where
Rebecca killed Boscos Team. Before she was poisoned, she saw who was coming
towards her and smiled. I think she saw RJ. So, we need someone who can just be
in the CBI offices for a while without being looked upon in a suspicious
manner. This clearly rules out Bret Stiles but I think it also rules out
McAllister. He could not have been standing by in the CBI office every time he
might have been needed. Therefore RJ is either CBI or FBI or Homeland or even
Forensics but not the boss of the sheriff's office of Napa County.
7) This leaves Ray Haffner. I don't
want him to be RJ. He seemed to be an idiot. Jane had no problem to get him
reassigned when he wanted Lisbon back. Haffner also seemed not to be too
competent. But here is the thing: RJ operated for all these years without being
identified. So yes, he is should be prepared to look stupid in his official
capacity to keep his RJ identity safe. In retribution he kills anybody who
messes with RJ …

In any other way he just fits what we
know about RJ. So, unless I see some really good arguments, Ray is RJ for me.

Please note: I did not include any
traits that were shown when anybody else was watching. Haffner's attitude could
be show and him being a Visualize member does not make him guilty. It might
only explain where he learned some of the stuff he relied on as Red John. When
Bertram let Jane teach him Poker that might have been a clever trick to make Jane
believe he would need it. Of course Bret Stiles shows all the traits RJ has, but
this is no proof that he is RJ. Kirkland might have had some reasons to kill
that man in the hospital and some other reason to keep an eye on Jane. And
don't forget: Every of our suspects might be a RJ operative. So every evil deed
might have been just a chore for them.