Just a hunch
Could RJ's phobia be of the water? Perhaps he never learned how to swim.
There has been repeated water symbolism, boats, and MAR means The Sea, among other things.
Also, something makes me think of how Lorelei Martins wanted to go to the ocean -- because maybe it was a safe place where RJ wouldn't go. RJ seems to spend his time in remote country places, farms, old and abandoned houses and barns, fields and parks.
RJ's PHOBIA
I agree with Theory #5302 about RJ's phobia possibly being a fear of pigeons, BUT even so, the birds seemed in the house while Partridge was killed, so it's not clear --- though Libson had called for back up long before she entered the house and perhaps it had finally arrived. I suspect though that RJ enjoyed spooking her with the "blood on your hands" [in this case, face] symbolism as he clearly made a statement that Libson's interference caused him to kill Partridge, as if SHE had killed him or MADE RJ have to kill him.
THE "LIST"
This list of seven, now six -- it is not the only list PJ has made. In "Black Cherry," Jane had a different list of 10 suspects in his book. So when Heller says the name is definitely on the list, he could be talking about that one, too.
PJ would NEVER want RJ to know he's on to him.
"HE IS MAR" -- MAR on Wikipedia says:
"Mar or Mor (as pronounced respectively in eastern and western dialects, from Syriac: Mār(y), written with a silent final yodh) is a title of respect in Syriac, literally meaning 'my lord'. It is given to allsaints and is also used before Christian name of bishops.[1]"
MEANING --- "HE IS MY LORD"
I think it's not meant to be a clue for us about a specific person, per se, as it wasn't written by a victim, and because MAR and MOR are used so widely throughout the show for various character names and places -- I think the MAR reference is about an overall theme and that "He IS Mar" was written by RJ or an RJ helper, and it is a message based on RJ's crazy, sadist thinking. This statement must stand for something he believes in or considers himself to be -- which may be God, or the Devil, or in service of...
MAR & MOR also both can mean THE SEA and RED or to HARM. Numerous references are made, including:
DuMAR Tanner, Lorelei MARtins, Ellis MARs, MARta & Virgil ROMan, MORgan Tolliver, Towlen MORgan, MARion Hicks, David MARtin, MARcia Wallace, Santa MARta, MARquesa, MAR Verde Real Estate Corp., RoseMARy Tennant, MARiska Kolpecki, Villa MARsante, MARsante Security --- and I'm sure many more...
In the FIRST SEASON, there were some repeating themes: [besides MAR and MOR]:
1. A REDHEADED CHARACTER appears in almost every episode, as well as names that mean RED
2. The murders the CBI solve are generally about: MONEY, SEX, REVENGE or ACCIDENTAL; but RED JOHN is entirely different. His reasons are sicker and even more sinister, likely apart of some demented religiosity he's got going about himself.
3. HYPNOSIS is featured and used by Jane, and mentioned often --- one episode centers around it, too -- a tool that is probably greatly utilized by RJ.
4. CLOWNS: PJ is called a clown in several episodes; and then there's the smiley face and carney background
5. BOATS/MARINAS/the OCEAN/MOBY DICK THEMES -- a guy is caught when Jane spots a copy of MB, realizing he's a smart guy who is hiding behind a "slow" persona.
6. TWINS or a CHILD that was kept secret
7. GOLF: FIRST episode was about golfers/Tagliaferro & Tolliver both mean "cut iron" or "iron cutters" --- which could also mean a golf club
I DON'T THINK it's PARTRIDGE. I think he's dead. But this website won't let me pick the one I really accuse.
Anyway, could Jane's FAKE list of 7 suspects hold symbolism for the 7 deadly sins? I think that points to these characters all having a weakness that will lead to their undoing, and the proving that they're not RJ.
1. Sheriff McAllister: SLOTH. He's a REAL DONUT SHOP COP. About 20 steps behind everyone, including himself.
2. Ray Haffner: GREED. Money talks but RH is seriously motivated by money as his main interest and goal.
3. Gale Bertram: GLUTTONY. At first, I thought him GREED -- because of GB's poker habit but I realize he has more the desire to win than to just have money. Another definition is "the ability to withstand," as in glutton for punishment, which GB certainly is, and also an excessive "love of power," or at least for GB, a love of looking good.
4. Reede Smith: I thought Gluttony because of his obvious physical appearance but his true point of his nature is: WRATH. The guy has serious anger management issues.
5. Brett Partridge: LUST: or blood lust [ghoul!!]
6. Bob Kirkland: ENVY: he truly seems in direct competition with Jane and the CBI, but why? We don't know yet.
7. Brett Stiles: PRIDE: the biggest ego of all -- I think he could have a connection to RJ, but isn't actually him. [Perhaps a father or father figure maybe]
I couldn't "Accuse" the right suspect -- the website wouldn't let me beyond the first three, so I just picked BP but I don't think it's him. I think poor BP is dead, and furthermore, I don't think it's any of the 7 Suspects [as RJ, that is -- they could have connections, for sure] but suffice to say for now that Jane set that list up for RJ. Most people seem to want it to be someone on that list, someone we've seen a lot, but I realize now that when Heller says we'll be disappointed, it's because it's not going to be any of the suspects we've been thinking for months. No -- Red John MUST have a personal link to Patrick somehow. Patrick Jane's father, Alex Jane, was a red haired con man and we don't know what became of him at all. We don't know if Alex Jane had other children [or another son]; and we have never heard of PJ's mother or what became of her, either. There are many literary references, as well as name symbolism used in The Mentalist, and one of them is a "Twins" theme. I think the possibility that PJ has a brother is there. Alex Jane seems too old to be RJ, but a brother would be just the right age for RJ.
Don't think GVP is RJ but think she will lead us to him somehow. Heller said "you will see the white whale" [for last season, meaning the killer will be out there] -- the "white whale" a reference to killer whale Moby Dick. I realized that besides King Arthur references in the character names, there are Moby Dick themes, as well, in The Mentalist. In MD, Ishmael, an outcast orphan [from Bible, too] joins Captain Ahab [who lost his leg to the "white whale killer"] on his ship out on the Pacific to find Moby Dick. It's about an obsessive search for a killer in a sea of unknown -- and how revenge can destroy you [as Captain Ahab and his crew, but for Ishmael, go down trying to take the killer whale down]. Moby Dick is symbolic of fighting forces that are often beyond our control. There's also a character, Elijah, in MD [and also from Bible, meaning Prophet] who tells Ishmael he mustn't have soul to go on this journey, and likens a soul to being a "FIFTH WHEEL ON A WAGON." What's so interesting about all this is that there are many character names relating to: the SEA, WATER, CLIFF, ROCK, RIDGE, BOATS and WAGON MAKERS & REPAIRERS. Is Van Pelt the "5th wheel" on the CBI team? Did Ellis Mars [meaning Elijah: Prophet/War, Blood Red] predict something overlooked? Maybe he will come back? Interestingly, an anagram for Patrick Jane is "Captain Jerk" and the longest word found in Van Pelt's name is "parentage" -- her father is mentioned, and supposedly known by RJ associate and killer Craig O'Laughlin [whose name means Rocky Water/Lake] so I think Grace's father may become known or revealed this season, considering Van Pelt means "curer of animal hides," like Tanner [Orville & DuMAR Tanner], also RJ associates. Van Pelt's family obviously has red hair somewhere down the line; her sister committed suicide and Jane says she's repressing a terrible memory. She has a psychic aunt named Yolanda [which means Violet] -- there are just too many loose ends with VP, these all have to lead somewhere. Now, I'm thinking Jane's Suspect List may have been his ploy to throw off "Roy" LOL and that it's been Van Pelt all along who is going to lead us to RJ [not that she knows it].
Don't know if he's RJ or related to RJ but I do think he'll be back: ELLIS (meaning PROPHET) MARS (WAR/BLOOD RED).