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.