After I've shown you my theory about Partridge, I want to show us also that one about Raymond Haffner.
Haffner strongly returns to be a candidate as possible Red John.
Telling the truth, I wouldn’t like this choice, but everything’s possible.
Let’s see the reasons that allow us to suspect him. We ‘ve seen him just in two episodes, but we can collect a lot of clues.
He started his career in the FBI Organized Crime Division. Two important arrests using wiretaps and creative
surveillance technique. This could explains his contacts in the FBI and also the way he could get all the informations that he needs.
One of his colleague, the smallish Tork, dealing with Patrick says him ”I heard you used to be in the circus.” Maybe Haffner told Tork about that.
The case his team has worked on (4x02) involved a gym. Haffner declares to know that gym very well and that a lot of bigwigs work out there… so he has important contacts too.
In his office there is a football trophy, so he’s an ex player: just like Todd Johnson and FBI agent Craig O'laughlin. Craig, particulary, knew Amos Van Pelt, Grace’s father. On the episode 4x12 Van Pelt hallucinates and she sees Craig.
He tells her that he’s just a figment of her imagination and that she has to open her eyes all the way, if she want to see the truth of things. Maybe he’s speaking about football: maybe Haffner knew Amos Van Pelt too and he has become friends with O’laughlin, somehow.
Amos Van Pelt was the coach at Burton. O’laughlin has been a professional player (NFL) for a couple of years in Tennessee.
Haffner asks Cho if he thinks Patrick is smarter than him. Then he offers to be a spy for him in return for the job.
Haffner understands immediately that it's Patrick behind the heels trick against Tork.
Shortly after Lisbon made a call to LaRoche about Sally Carter, we can see Van Pelt trying to talk to Haffner, who says he's busy; he looks pretty thoughtful while pouring some tea.
By the way, it seems he is looking for Ron, considering the line of his sight. In that case, Ron could be one of his followers and this could explain all the clues we have collected against him as possible Red John.
Shortly after Sally Carter is found dead, apparently committed suicide, leaving a farewell letter.
Then, coming back to the case, Haffner finds the address book and says to Patrick that he checks on him: “Did you really think that was gonna happen? Like I wasn't watching you every minute?" That's a little creepy.
At the end, Bertram blames Haffner for have been kidded by Patrick and he dismiss him from the assignment. Haffner appears surprised, like he has really fallen in Patrick’s trap. But if Haffner is Red John, then this will be just a big act to looks less clever than he really is.
On the other episode, 5x13, authors try blatantly to make him more suspicious.
But let’s proceed step by step:
first he felicitates Lisbon and he’s sarcastic remembering the work experience with Patrick.
Then he invites Lisbon to have a lunch with him.
During this lunch he starts complimenting Lisbon for keeping under control Patrick at best, whereas he considers Patrick uncontrollable.
He also adds to know a couple thousand people who whould think the same thing.
Then he tries to persuade her to work with him, leaving the CBI and, particulary, Jane.
Later a weird fact happens: Ray nominates Jason Cooper and Lisbon realizes he has being a Visualize’s member since he was young; he says he was a screwed-up kid.
Later we’ll discover that Red John too has been a Visualize’s member in 1988 and that he has worked in a farm. If Hafner was Red John, I think he wouldn’t leave such a evident clue so easly. What for?
Maybe the authors gave us this information to mislead us and to make him more suspicious. But… never say never!
And when Lisbon asks him if he has been in that farm in 1988 his answer is even more suspicious: instead of answering simply “NO”, as anyone who has a spotless conscience would answer, Ray evades the question, answering her “Lisbon, we're still friends, right? Why would you ask me that?”
Maybe he has known Red John and he wants to protect him cause he has become an accomplice. But, one more time, he could be Red John himself.
But we have already learned that when the clues are shown to us so manifestly, they’re probably false… but who knows??
Anyway, the doubts against Haffner are significant. He’s not on the first place among the suspects, but he could be surely on the podium.
My Podium is:
Partridge;
Bertram;
Haffner.
Only missing Bertram's theory; I have one, but it's in Italian. Coming soon... :D
And there is also a theory about McAllister: I found something interesting, but I still think he was a red herring. Anyway, probably I will post something about him too.
